10-K 1 a50574114.htm CREXUS INVESTMENT CORP. 10-K a50574114.htm
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

x             ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED:  DECEMBER 31, 2012

OR

o             TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM _______________ TO _________________

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER:  1-34451

CREXUS INVESTMENT CORP.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)
 
  MARYLAND   26-2652391  
  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)  
 
1211 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, SUITE 2902
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
(Address of principal executive offices)

10036
 (Zip Code)

(646) 829-0160
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
Title of Each Class Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered  
     
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share New York Stock Exchange  
     
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
   
     
None.
   

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.   Yes þ No o
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    Yes o No þ
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days:         Yes þ No o

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes þ No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.      þ

 
 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definition of “accelerated filer,” “large accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
 
Large accelerated filer þ
Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer
Smaller reporting company o

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes o No þ

At June 30, 2012, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant was $682,434,968 based on the closing sale price on the New York Stock Exchange on that date.


APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the last practicable date:
 
Class Outstanding at February 27, 2013
Common Stock, $.01 par value 76,630,528
                                                                                                                                                                            
 
 

 
 

CREXUS INVESTMENT CORP.

2012 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT
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EXHIBITS
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

We make forward-looking statements in this report that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. When we use the words ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘would,’’ “will,” or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements.  Statements regarding the following subjects, among others, are forward-looking by their nature:

 
·
our business and strategy;
 
 
·
our ability to consummate the transaction contemplated by the agreement and plan of merger with Annaly Capital Management, Inc. and its subsidiary CXS Acquisition Corporation, pursuant to which Annaly would purchase all of our outstanding shares of common stock (other than shares owned by Annaly);
 
 
·
our ability to obtain and maintain financing arrangements and the terms of such arrangements;
 
 
·
financing and advance rates for our targeted assets;
 
 
·
general volatility of the markets in which we acquire assets;
 
 
·
the implementation, timing and impact of, and changes to, various government programs;
 
 
·
our expected assets;
 
 
·
changes in the value of our assets;
 
 
·
market trends in our industry, interest rates, the debt securities markets or the general economy;
 
 
·
rates of default or decreased recovery rates on our assets;
 
 
·
our continuing or future relationships with third parties;
 
 
·
prepayments of the mortgage and other loans underlying our mortgage-backed or other asset-backed securities;
 
 
·
the degree to which our hedging strategies may or may not protect us from interest rate volatility;
 
 
·
changes in governmental regulations, tax law and rates, accounting guidance, and similar matters;
 
 
·
our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes;
 
 
·
ability to maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or 1940 Act;
 
 
·
the availability of opportunities in real estate-related and other securities;
 
 
·
the availability of qualified personnel;
 
 
·
estimates relating to our ability to make distributions to our stockholders in the future;
 
 
·
our understanding of our competition;
 
 
·
interest rate mismatches between our assets and our borrowings used to finance purchases of such assets;
 
 
·
changes in interest rates and mortgage prepayment rates;
 
 
·
the effects of interest rate caps on our adjustable-rate mortgage-backed securities;
 
 
·
our ability to integrate acquired assets into our existing portfolio; and
 
 
·
our ability to realize our expectations of the advantages of acquiring assets.
 
The forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account all information currently available to us. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us.  For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, please see the information under the caption “Risk Factors” described in this Form 10-K.  If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements.  Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to, and do not intend to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
 
 
 

 
 

All references to “we,” “us,” or “our” mean CreXus Investment Corp. and all entities owned by us.

The Company
 
We are a commercial real estate company that acquires, manages, and finances, directly or through our subsidiaries, commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt, commercial real property, commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, other commercial real estate-related assets and Agency residential mortgage-backed securities.  We expect that the commercial real estate loans we acquire will be fixed and floating rate first mortgage loans secured by commercial properties.  We may also acquire subordinated commercial mortgage loans and mezzanine loans.  From time to time, we also engage in long-term sale-leaseback and build-to-suit transactions with companies in the U.S.  The long term sale-leaseback and build to suit properties are triple net leased to corporate tenants.  The triple net leases require that in sale-leaseback transactions, each tenant pays substantially all of the costs associated with operating and maintaining the property, including real estate taxes, assessments and other government charges, insurance, utilities, repairs and maintenance and capital expenditures.  We may also acquire commercial real property as part of our resolution of commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt where a borrower defaults in their obligations and we take title to the collateral underlying the commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt through foreclosure or other means.

We acquire CMBS which are rated AAA through BBB as well as CMBS that are below investment grade or are non-rated.  The other commercial real estate-related securities and other commercial real estate asset classes consist of debt and equity tranches of commercial real estate collateralized debt obligations, or CRE CDOs, loans to real estate companies including real estate investment trusts, or REITs, and real estate operating companies, or REOCs, commercial real estate securities and commercial real property.  In addition, we acquire residential mortgage-backed securities, or RMBS, for which a U.S. Government agency such as Ginnie Mae, or a federally chartered corporation such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, guarantees payments of principal and interest on the securities.  We refer to these securities as Agency RMBS.  We refer to Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac collectively as the Agencies.

We were formed as a Maryland corporation on January 23, 2008.  We are externally managed by Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company, which we refer to as FIDAC or our Manager.  FIDAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly Capital Management, Inc., or Annaly.  We have elected and qualify to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for U.S. federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year ending on December 31, 2009.

Our objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns to our investors over the long-term, primarily through dividends and secondarily through capital appreciation.  We intend to achieve this objective by acquiring a broad range of commercial real estate-related assets to construct a portfolio that is designed to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns and that is structured to comply with the various U.S. federal income tax requirements for REIT status.  We also intend to operate our business in a manner that will permit us to maintain our exemption from registration under the 1940 Act.

Our Manager
 
We are externally managed and advised by FIDAC, an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Our Manager is a fixed-income investment management company specializing in managing fixed income investments in (i) Agency RMBS, (ii) non-Agency RMBS, including investment grade and non-investment grade classes, which are typically pass-through certificates created by a securitization of a pool of mortgage loans that are collateralized by residential real properties and (iii) collateralized debt obligations, or CDOs.  Our Manager also has experience in managing and structuring debt financing associated with these asset classes.  Our Manager commenced active investment management operations in 1994.

Our Manager is responsible for administering our business activities and day-to-day operations pursuant to a management agreement with us.  All of our officers are employees of our Manager or its affiliates.  Our Chief Executive Officer, President and Director, Kevin Riordan, is a Managing Director of Annaly and FIDAC and has approximately 30 years of experience in evaluating, acquiring and managing a wide range of commercial real estate-related assets, including CMBS and commercial real estate loans, and managing third-party origination and servicing programs, including as a Group Managing Director at Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund, or TIAA-CREF.  Our Manager has well-respected and established portfolio management resources for each of our targeted asset classes and a sophisticated infrastructure supporting those resources, including professionals focusing on residential and commercial mortgage loans, RMBS, CMBS and other asset-backed securities.  We also benefit from our Manager’s finance and administration functions, which address legal, compliance, investor relations, and operational matters, including portfolio management, trade allocation and execution, securities valuation, risk management and information technology in connection with the performance of its duties.

 
2

 
 
Agreement and Plan of Merger
 
On January 30, 2013, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger , or the Merger Agreement, among us, Annaly and CXS Acquisition Corporation, a Maryland corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly, (which we refer to as Acquisition),  pursuant to which, among other things, Acquisition will commence a tender offer or the Offer, to purchase all of the outstanding shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, or the Shares, that Acquisition or Annaly do not own at a price per share of $13.00 in cash, plus a cash payment to reflect a pro-rated quarterly dividend for the quarter in which the tender offer is closed.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.  If at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors are tendered and purchased by Acquisition in the tender offer, and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain limited conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement (including, if required, receipt of approval by our stockholders), Acquisition will merge with and into us, with us surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly (the “Merger”).  In the Merger, each outstanding Share, other than Shares owned by Acquisition and Annaly, will be converted into the right to receive the same cash consideration paid in the Offer.
 
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, we may solicit, receive, evaluate and enter into negotiations with respect to alternative proposals from third parties for a period of 45 calendar days continuing through March 16, 2013, or the Transaction Solicitation Period.  We may continue discussions after the Transaction Solicitation Period with parties who made acquisition proposals during the Transaction Solicitation Period, or who made unsolicited acquisition proposals after the Transaction Solicitation Period, in either case that we determine, in good faith, would result in, or is reasonably likely to result in, a superior proposal. If we receive a superior proposal, Annaly and Acquisition have the right to increase their offer price one time to a price that is at least $0.10 per share greater than the value per share stockholders would receive as a result of the superior proposal and thereafter we may terminate after providing two business days’ notice.  If we terminate the Merger Agreement during the Transaction Solicitation Period or during the 10-day period following its expiration to enter into a superior proposal with a party who delivered a written acquisition proposal during the Transaction Solicitation Period, we will be required to pay to Annaly a termination fee of $15 million. If we terminate the Merger Agreement thereafter in connection with a superior proposal, the termination fee will be $25 million.  If the Merger Agreement is terminated in either circumstance, we will also be required to reimburse Annaly’s documented out-of-pocket expenses, up to $5 million. In all cases, the termination fee and expense reimbursement will be credited against the termination fee payable by us under our management agreement with Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company (our “Manager”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly.
 
The Merger Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants of us, Annaly and Acquisition.  We have agreed to operate our business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice until the effective time of the Merger.  Annaly has separately agreed to not purchase any Shares in excess of the approximately 12.4% of the outstanding shares that it currently owns.
 
 Consummation of the Offer is subject to various conditions, including (1) the valid tender of the number of Shares that would represent at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors, (2) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being unlawful under any applicable statute, rule or regulation, (3) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being enjoined by order of any court or other governmental authority, (4) the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement), (5) neither our board of directors nor its special committee of independent directors having withdrawn its recommendation of the Offer or Merger to our stockholders, and (6) the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions. Neither the Offer nor the Merger is subject to a financing condition.
 
 
3

 
 
 If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold at least 90% of the outstanding Shares, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without the approval of the Merger by our stockholders. If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold less than 90% of the outstanding Shares, Acquisition will have the right to exercise an irrevocable option (the “Percentage Increase Option”) granted to it by us under the Merger Agreement to purchase from us that number of additional Shares that will increase the percentage of outstanding Shares owned by Annaly and its subsidiaries to one share more than 90% of the outstanding Shares (after giving effect to the issuance of Shares pursuant to the Percentage Increase Option).  Upon exercise of the Percentage Increase Option, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without approval of the Merger by our stockholders.
 
Our board of directors, upon the unanimous recommendation and approval of a special committee consisting of our three independent directors, which we refer to as the Special Committee, adopted resolutions (i) determining and declaring advisable the Merger Agreement and the Offer, the Merger, the Percentage Increase Option and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (ii) determining that the terms of the Offer, the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are in the best interests of, and fair to, our stockholders other than Annaly and its affiliates, and (iii) recommending that our stockholders (other than Annaly and its affiliates) accept the Offer, tender their Shares into the Offer and, to the extent required by applicable law to consummate the Merger, vote their Shares in favor of approving the Merger.
 
Our Investment Strategy
 
We rely on our Manager’s expertise in identifying assets within our targeted asset classes.  Our Manager makes decisions based on various factors, including expected cash yield, relative value, risk-adjusted returns, current and projected credit fundamentals, current and projected macroeconomic considerations, current and projected supply and demand, credit and market risk concentration limits, liquidity, cost of financing and financing availability, as well as maintaining our REIT qualification and our exemption from registration under the 1940 Act.

Over time, we will continually adjust our allocation strategy as market conditions change to seek to maximize the returns from our portfolio.  We believe this strategy, combined with our Manager’s experience, will enable us to pay dividends and achieve capital appreciation throughout changing interest rate and credit cycles and provide attractive long-term returns to investors.

Our targeted asset classes and the principal assets we expect to acquire are as follows:

Asset Class
 
Principal Assets
Commercial Mortgage Loans                                                               
 
“A-Notes” and other first mortgage loans that are secured by commercial properties
Construction loans
 
Subordinated Debt                                                               
 
“B-Notes,” “C-notes,” and other subordinated notes
   
Mezzanine Loans
Loan Participations
Preferred Equity
 
Commercial Real Property                                                               
 
Office buildings
Hotels
Retail
Industrial
Multifamily
Residential condominiums
Other commercial real property including land
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities,
 or CMBS                                                               
 
CMBS rated AAA through BBB
   
CMBS that are rated below investment grade or are non-rated
     
Other Commercial Real Estate Assets                                                               
 
Debt and equity tranches of CRE CDOs
   
Loans to real estate companies including REITs and REOCs
   
Commercial real estate securities
     
Agency RMBS                                                                  
 
Single-family residential mortgage pass-through certificates representing interests in “pools” of mortgage loans secured by residential real property where payments of both interest and principal are guaranteed by a U.S. Government agency or federally chartered corporation
 
 
4

 
 
Our principal business objective is to capitalize on the fundamental changes that have occurred and are occurring in the commercial real estate finance industry to provide attractive risk adjusted returns to our stockholders over the long term, primarily through dividends and secondarily through capital appreciation.  In order to capitalize on the changing sets of opportunities that may be present in the various points of an economic cycle, we may expand or refocus our strategy by emphasizing assets in different parts of the capital structure and different real estate sectors.  In the near to medium term, we expect to continue to deploy our capital through the origination and acquisition of commercial first mortgage loans, mezzanine financings and other commercial real-estate debt instruments at attractive risk-adjusted yields as well as directly in commercial real property and CMBS.  We expect to allocate our capital within our targeted asset classes opportunistically based upon our Manager’s assessment of the risk-reward profiles of particular assets.  Our strategy may be amended from time to time, if recommended by our Manager and approved by our board of directors.  If we amend our asset strategy, we are not required to seek stockholder approval.

We may use borrowings as part of our financing strategy.  Although we are not required to maintain any particular leverage ratio, the amount of leverage we incur is determined by our Manager, taking into account a variety of factors, which may include the anticipated liquidity and price volatility of the assets in our portfolio, the potential for losses and extension risk in our portfolio, the gap between the duration of our assets and liabilities, including hedges, the availability and cost of financing our assets, the creditworthiness of our financing counterparties, the health of the U.S. economy and commercial and residential mortgage markets, the outlook for the level, slope, and volatility of interest rate movement, the credit quality of our target assets and the collateral underlying our target assets.  We may enhance the returns on our commercial mortgage loan assets, especially loan acquisitions, through securitizations.  If possible, we may securitize the senior portion, expected to be equivalent to investment grade rated CMBS, while retaining the subordinate securities in our portfolio.  We may also sell the senior portion or A-Note and retain the subordinate or junior position in a B-Note or other subordinate loan.  We use repurchase agreements to finance acquisitions of Agency RMBS with a number of counterparties.  We currently leverage our triple net lease investments.  In the future, we may also use other sources of financing to fund the acquisition of our targeted assets, including warehouse facilities and other secured and unsecured forms of borrowing.  We may also seek to raise further equity capital or issue debt securities to fund our future asset acquisitions.

Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, we may, from time to time, utilize derivative financial instruments to mitigate the effects of fluctuations in interest rates and its effects on our asset valuations.  We also may engage in a variety of interest rate management techniques that seek to mitigate changes in interest rates or other potential influences on the values of our assets.  We may attempt to reduce interest rate risk and to minimize exposure to interest rate fluctuations through the use of match funded financing structures, when appropriate.  We expect these instruments will allow us to minimize, but not eliminate, the risk that we have to refinance our liabilities before the maturities of our assets and to reduce the impact of changing interest rates on our earnings.
 
 
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Commercial Real Estate Loans
 
First Mortgage Loans – First mortgage loans are generally three-to-ten year term loans that are primarily for fully constructed real estate located in the United States that are current pay and are either fixed or floating rate. Some of these loans may be syndicated in either a pari passu or in a senior /subordinated structure. First mortgages generally provide for a higher recovery rate in the event of default due to their senior position.

Construction Loans – We may acquire participations in construction or rehabilitation loans on commercial properties.  These loans will generally provide 40% to 60% of financing on the total cost of the construction or rehabilitation project and will be secured by first mortgage liens on the property under construction or rehabilitation.  Purchases of construction and rehabilitation loans would generally allow us to earn origination fees and may also entitle us to a percentage of the underlying property’s net operating income (subject to our qualification as a REIT) or gross revenues, payable on an ongoing basis, as well a percentage of any increase in value of the property, payable upon maturity or refinancing of the loan.

Subordinated Debt
 
Subordinated Mortgage Loans or B-Notes – These instruments include structurally subordinated first mortgage loans and junior participations in first mortgage loans or participations in these types of assets.  A B-Note is typically created from a privately negotiated loan that is secured by a first mortgage on a single large commercial property or group of related properties and subordinated to an A-Note secured by the same first mortgage property or group.  The subordination of a B-Note typically is evidenced by an intercreditor agreement with the holder of the A-Note.  B-Notes are subject to more credit risk with respect to the underlying mortgage collateral than the corresponding A-Note.  We may create subordinated mortgage loans by tranching or selling our purchased first mortgage loans through syndication of our senior first mortgages, or buy such assets directly from third party originators.  We may originate B-Notes privately or purchase them in the secondary market.

Purchasers of subordinated mortgage loans and B-Notes are compensated for the increased risk of such assets but still benefit from a lien on the related property. Investors’ rights are generally governed through participations and other agreements that, subject to certain limitations, provide the holders of subordinated positions of the mortgage loan with the ability to cure certain defaults and control certain decisions of holders of senior debt secured by the same property or properties.

Mezzanine Loans – These loans are secured by a pledge of the borrower’s equity ownership in the property. Unlike a mortgage, this loan does not represent a lien on the property.  Therefore it is always junior and subordinate to any first-lien as well as second liens, if applicable, on the property.  These loans are senior to any preferred equity or common equity interests.  Purchasers of mezzanine loans benefit from a right to foreclose on the ownership equity in a more efficient means than senior mortgage debt.  Also, investor rights are usually governed by intercreditor agreements that provide holders with the rights to cure defaults and exercise control on certain decisions of any senior debt secured by the same property.  Mezzanine loans may also be syndicated in either a pari passu or senior/subordinated structure.

Preferred Equity Investments- A preferred equity investment is an equity investment in the entity that owns the underlying property.  Preferred equity is not secured by the underlying property, but holders have priority relative to common equity holders on cash flow distributions and proceeds from capital events. In addition, preferred equity holders may be able to enhance their position and protect their equity position with covenants that limit the entity’s activities and grant the holder the exclusive right to control the property after an event of default. Occasionally, the first mortgage on a property prohibits additional liens and a preferred equity structure provides an attractive financing alternative for us. With preferred equity investments, we may become a special limited partner or member in the entity and may be entitled to take certain actions, or cause liquidation, upon a default. Preferred equity typically is more highly leveraged, with last-dollar loan-to-value ratios at origination of 85% to more than 90%. We expect our preferred equity to have mandatory redemption dates (that is, maturity dates) that range from three years to five years, and we expect to hold these investments to maturity.
 
 
6

 
 
Commercial Real Properties
 
Commercial Real Property – We may make acquisitions in commercial real property to take advantage of attractive opportunities. Additionally, in certain instances we may engage in sale-leaseback transactions with our commercial real properties.  From time to time, our real estate debt investments result in us owning commercial real property as a result of a loan workout and the exercise of our remedies under the mortgage documents.

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities

CMBS are bonds that evidence interests in, or are secured by, a single commercial mortgage or a pool of commercial mortgage loans.  CMBS are typically issued in multiple tranches or split into different levels of risk thereby allowing an investor to select a credit level that suits its risk profile. Principal payments are applied sequentially to the most senior tranche of the structure until the most senior class has been repaid. Losses and other shortfalls are borne by the most subordinate class which receives principal payments only after the more senior classes are repaid.

Other Commercial Real Estate-Related Assets
 
Commercial Real Estate Collateralized Debt Obligations – CRE CDOs are multiple class securities, or bonds, secured by pools of assets such as CMBS, B-Notes, mezzanine loans and REIT debt. In a CRE CDO, the assets are pledged to a trustee for the benefit of the bond certificate holders. Generally, principal payments are applied sequentially to the most senior tranche of the structure until the most senior class has been repaid. Losses and other shortfalls are borne by the most subordinate class which receives principal payments only after the more senior classes are fully repaid. However, these structures are also subject to further compliance tests pursuant to their respective indentures, the failure of which can also result in the redirection of cash flow to the most senior securities.

Loans to REITS and REOCs – These assets generally are publicly registered, unsecured corporate obligations made to companies whose primary business is the ownership and operation of commercial real estate including office, retail, multifamily and industrial properties. These investments generally pay semi-annually versus monthly for mortgage instruments. Credit protections include both operating and maintenance covenants.

Agency RMBS

We may acquire Agency RMBS which are investments in pools of mortgage-backed securities.  Agency RMBS are mortgage-backed securities for which a government agency or federally chartered corporation, such as Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, or Ginnie Mae, guarantees payments of principal or interest on the securities.

Asset Guidelines
Our board of directors has adopted a set of asset guidelines that set out the asset classes, risk tolerance levels, diversification requirements and other criteria used to evaluate the merits of specific assets as well as the overall portfolio composition.  Our Manager’s Investment Committee reviews our compliance with the asset guidelines at least quarterly and our board of directors receive an investment report at each quarter-end in conjunction with its review of our quarterly results.

Our board of directors also reviews our portfolio and related compliance with our policies and procedures and asset guidelines at each regularly scheduled board of directors meeting.  Our board of directors and our Manager’s Investment Committee have adopted the following asset guidelines for our assets:

 
·
No investment shall be made that would cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
 
 
·
No investment shall be made that would cause us to be regulated as an investment company under the 1940 Act;
 
 
·
Any assets we purchase will be in our targeted assets; and
 
 
·
Until appropriate assets can be identified, our Manager may deploy our capital and any future offerings in interest-bearing, short-term investments, including money market accounts and/or funds, that are consistent with our intention to qualify as a REIT.
 
 
7

 
 
These asset guidelines may be changed by a majority of our board of directors without the approval of our stockholders.

Our board of directors has also adopted a separate set of asset guidelines and procedures to govern our relationships with FIDAC.

Our Financing Strategy

Based on market conditions we intend to utilize structural leverage through securitizations of commercial real estate loans or CMBS. We will consider using other non-recourse or recourse financing sources, invest in these assets on an unlevered basis or not invest in these asset classes.  With regard to securitizations, the leverage will depend on the market conditions for structuring such transactions.  We will seek to finance the acquisition of Agency RMBS using repurchase agreements with counterparties, which are recourse obligations.  We anticipate that leverage for Agency RMBS would be available to us, which would provide for a debt-to-equity ratio in the range of 2:1 to 4:1 but would likely not exceed 8:1.  Based on current market conditions, we expect to operate within the leverage levels described above in the near and long term.  We are not required to maintain any specific debt-to-equity ratio, as we believe the level of leverage will vary based on the particular asset class, the characteristics of the portfolio and market conditions.  We can provide no assurance that we will be able to obtain financing on favorable terms, or at all.

We have financed our triple net lease portfolio with non-recourse financings, which generally limit the recoverability of the loan to the property.  These financings will be specific to a particular property or secured by a portfolio of our properties.  We anticipate that the loan to value ratio for these financings will be between 40% and 65% but would likely not exceed 80%.
 
Securitizations

We intend to seek to enhance the returns on our commercial mortgage loan investments, especially loan acquisitions, through securitizations. If available, we intend to securitize the senior portion, expected to be equivalent to AAA-rated CMBS, while retaining the subordinate securities in our portfolio.
 
Other Sources of Financing

We expect to use repurchase agreements to finance acquisitions of Agency RMBS with a number of counterparties. In the future, we may also use other sources of financing to fund the acquisition of our targeted assets, including warehouse facilities and other secured and unsecured forms of borrowing. We may also seek to raise further equity capital or issue debt securities in order to fund our future asset acquisitions.
 
Our Interest Rate Hedging and Risk Management Strategy

Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, we may, from time to time, utilize derivative financial instruments to hedge all or a portion of the interest rate risk associated with our investments.

We intend to engage in a variety of interest rate management techniques that seek to mitigate changes in interest rates or other potential influences on the values of our assets.  The U.S. federal income tax rules applicable to REITs may require us to implement certain of these techniques through a domestic Taxable REIT Subsidiary, or TRS, that is fully subject to corporate income taxation.  Our interest rate management techniques may include:

 
·
puts and calls on securities or indices of securities;
 
 
·
Eurodollar futures contracts and options on such contracts;
 
 
·
interest rate caps, swaps and swaptions;
 
 
·
U.S. Treasury securities and options on U.S. Treasury securities; and
 
 
·
other similar transactions.
 
 
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We expect to attempt to reduce interest rate risks and to minimize exposure to interest rate fluctuations through the use of match funded financing structures, when appropriate, whereby we seek (i) to match the maturities of our debt obligations with the maturities of our assets and (ii) to match the interest rates on our investments with like-kind debt (i.e., floating rate assets are financed with floating rate debt and fixed-rate assets are financed with fixed-rate debt), directly or through the use of interest rate swaps, caps or other financial instruments, or through a combination of these strategies.  We expect this to allow us to minimize the risk that we have to refinance our liabilities before the maturities of our assets and to reduce the impact of changing interest rates on our earnings.
 
Compliance with REIT and Investment Company Requirements

We monitor our investments and the income from our investments and, to the extent we enter into hedging transactions, we monitor income from our hedging transactions as well, so as to ensure at all times that we maintain our qualification as a REIT and our exempt status under the 1940 Act.
 
Staffing

We are externally managed and advised by our Manager pursuant to a management agreement.  We have no employees.  Each of our officers is an employee of our Manager or one of its affiliates.  Our Manager is not obligated to dedicate certain of its employees exclusively to us, nor is it or its employees obligated to dedicate any specific portion of its time to our business.  Our Manager uses the proceeds from its management fee in part to pay compensation to its officers and employees who, notwithstanding that certain of them also are our officers, receive no cash compensation directly from us.
 
Management Agreement

We have entered into a management agreement with FIDAC, which provides for an initial term through December 31, 2013, with automatic one-year extension options and subject to certain termination rights. Under the management agreement, we paid FIDAC a management fee of 0.50% per annum from inception through September 22, 2010, and of 1.00% per annum from September 23, 2010 through March 22, 2011, and after March 22, 2011 we pay FIDAC a management fee of 1.50% per annum, calculated quarterly, of our stockholders’ equity. For purposes of calculating the management fee, our stockholders’ equity means the sum of the net proceeds from any issuances of our equity securities since inception (allocated on a pro rata daily basis for such issuances during the fiscal quarter of any such issuance), plus our retained earnings at the end of such quarter (without taking into account any non-cash equity compensation expense incurred in current or prior periods), less any amount that we pay for repurchases of our common stock, and less any unrealized gains, losses or other items that do not affect realized net income (regardless of whether such items are included in other comprehensive income or loss, or in net income). This amount will be adjusted to exclude one-time events pursuant to changes in GAAP and certain non-cash charges after discussions between FIDAC and our independent directors and approved by a majority of our independent directors. The management fee will be reduced, but not below zero, by our proportionate share of any management fees FIDAC receives from any investment vehicle in which we invest, based on the percentage of equity we hold in such vehicle.
 
We are obligated to reimburse FIDAC for its costs incurred under the management agreement.  In addition, we are required to pay our pro rata portion of rent, telephone, utilities, office furniture, equipment, machinery and other office, internal and overhead expenses of FIDAC required for our operations.  These expenses will be allocated between FIDAC and us based on the ratio of our proportion of gross assets compared to all remaining gross assets managed by FIDAC as calculated at each quarter end.  We and FIDAC will modify this allocation methodology, subject to our board of directors’ approval if the allocation becomes inequitable (i.e., if we become very highly leveraged compared to FIDAC’s other funds and accounts).  FIDAC has waived its right to request reimbursement from us of these expenses until such time as it determines to rescind that waiver.  For the year ended December 31, 2012, our Manager earned management fees of $13.8 million. 
 
Competition

A number of entities will compete with us to purchase the types of assets we plan to acquire.  Our net income will depend, in large part, on our ability to acquire assets at favorable spreads. In acquiring real estate-related assets, we compete with other REITs, public and private funds, commercial and investment banks, commercial finance companies, life insurance companies and other entities.  Some of these entities may not be subject to the same regulatory constraints (i.e., REIT compliance or maintaining an exemption under the 1940 Act) as us.  In addition, many of these entities have greater financial resources and access to capital than us.    In addition, there are numerous mortgage REITs with similar asset acquisition objectives, and others may be organized in the future. These other REITs will increase competition for the available supply of real estate-related assets suitable for purchase. Many of our anticipated competitors are substantially larger than we are, have considerably greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources and may have other advantages over us. Several other REITs have raised, or are expected to raise, significant amounts of capital, and may have objectives that overlap with ours, which may create competition for asset acquisition opportunities.  Some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that are not available to us.  In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and establish more relationships than us.
 
 
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In the face of this competition, we expect to have access to our Manager’s professionals, brokers and other industry participants, which may provide us with a competitive advantage and help us assess investment risks and determine appropriate pricing for certain potential investments.  However, we may not be able to achieve our business goals or expectations due to the competitive risks that we face. Also, our competitive position may be impacted materially by certain conflicts between us and Annaly.  For additional information concerning these competitive risks, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related To Our Business.”

Available Information

Our investor relations website is www.crexusinvestment.com.  We make available on the website under "Investor Relations/SEC filings," free of charge, our annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K and any other reports (including any amendments to such reports) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file or furnish such materials to the SEC. Information on our website, however, is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.  All reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission may also be read and copied at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Further information regarding the operation of the public reference room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.  In addition, all of our filed reports can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Item 1A.  Risk Factors

An investment in our stock involves a number of risks.  Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider all of the risks described in this Form 10-K.  If any of the risks discussed in this Form 10-K actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity could be materially adversely affected.  If this were to occur, the trading price of our stock could decline significantly and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to the Agreement and Plan of Merger

A failure to consummate the Merger could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition and results of operations

If the Merger Agreement is not completed for any reason our stockholders will not receive any payment for their shares pursuant to the Merger Agreement.  Instead, upon the termination of the Merger Agreement, we will remain as a public company and our common stock will continue to be registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and listed and traded on NYSE, although the price of our common stock may drop to the extent that the current market price of our common stock reflects an assumption that the Merger will be consummated.
 
Moreover, under specified circumstances, we may be required to pay Annaly a termination fee of up to $25 million as well as reimburse Annaly for its expenses.  We have also incurred, and will continue to incur, significant costs, expenses, and fees for professional services and other transaction costs in connection with the Merger, and many of these fees and costs are payable by us regardless of whether or not the merger is consummated.  Among those costs are the expenses of defending the litigation that has been filed against us in connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement.
 
 
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There can be no assurance that the transaction contemplated by the Merger Agreement will be consummated.

The Merger Agreement provides us a 45 day “Go-Shop” period during which we will be able to seek alternate purchasers who would be willing to purchase control of us or our assets on terms that the Special Committee of our Board of Directors determines to be more favorable to us and our stockholders than those on which Annaly would purchase the shares it does not own.  Under the agreement, the manner that Annaly would acquire us would be through a tender offer for all of our outstanding shares of common stock it does not already own at a price of $13.00 per share in cash, plus a cash payment per share to reflect a pro-rated quarterly dividend for the quarter in which the tender offer is closed.  If a majority of the shares that are not owned by Annaly or its affiliates are properly tendered and not withdrawn, Annaly would purchase the tendered shares and complete the acquisition of us through a merger, by which we would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly and our stockholders who do not tender their shares in response to the tender offer would receive the same consideration they would have received if they had tendered their shares.
 
As such, there are a number of contingencies to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including (assuming Annaly is permitted to make a tender offer under the agreement) whether a majority of the shares not owned by Annaly or its affiliates being properly tendered in response to the tender offer and not withdrawn.  There can be no assurance that the transaction, contemplated by the Merger Agreement will be consummated.
 
Pending the closing of the Merger, the Merger Agreement restricts us from engaging in certain actions without Annaly’s consent, which could prevent us from pursuing opportunities that may arise prior to the closing of the Merger.

Under the Merger Agreement, we have agreed to certain covenants that place restrictions on our ability to, among other things, enter into any contractual commitments involving capital expenditures, loans or advances, and voluntarily incur any contingent liabilities, except in each case in the ordinary course of business; declare or pay any dividends, or make any other distributions or repayments of debt to our stockholders, other than regular quarterly dividends paid by us consistent with our past practice of paying quarterly dividends based upon our estimated REIT taxable income for the quarter (estimated in a manner consistent with past practice); redeem or purchase any of our stock;  purchase, sell, dispose of or encumber any property or assets, or engage in any activities or transactions, except in each case in the ordinary course of business; and enter into any agreements, including any agreements in connection with the settlement of litigation, that would restrict the ability of the surviving corporation to engage in all the activities in which we are currently engaged.  In addition, we have agreed to conduct our activities in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with our investment strategies and other strategies in place as of the date of the Merger Agreement; maintain our books of account and records in the usual manner, in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis, subject to normal year-end adjustments and accruals; and comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations of governmental agencies.
 
Whether or not the Merger is consummated, the announcement and pendency of the transaction could cause disruptions to our business, which could have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition and results of operations.

The announcement and pendency of the Merger could cause disruptions in our business. For example, uncertainty concerning potential changes to us and our business could adversely affect our relationships with current or prospective borrowers.  In addition, key personnel may depart our Manager for a variety of reasons, including perceived uncertainty as to the effect of the Merger on their employment.  The pendency of the Merger could also divert the time and attention of our management from our ongoing business operations.  These disruptions may increase over time until the closing of the Merger.
 
 
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Risks Associated With Our Management and Relationship With Our Manager
 
We are dependent on our Manager and its key personnel, and we may not find a suitable replacement if any of them becomes unavailable to us.

We have no separate facilities and are completely reliant on our Manager.  We have no employees.  Our officers are employees of our Manager, who has significant discretion as to the implementation of our asset and operating policies and strategies.  Accordingly, we depend on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of the senior management of our Manager.  The senior management of our Manager evaluates, negotiates, structures, closes and monitors our assets; therefore, our success depends on their continued service.  The departure of any of the senior managers of our Manager could have a material adverse effect on our performance.  In addition, we can offer no assurance that our Manager will remain our manager or that we will continue to have access to our Manager’s principals and professionals.  Our management agreement with our Manager only extends until December 31, 2013.  If the management agreement is terminated and no suitable replacement is found to manage us, we may not be able to execute our business plan.  Moreover, our Manager is not obligated to dedicate certain of its employees exclusively to us nor is it obligated to dedicate any specific portion of its time to our business, and none of our Manager’s employees are contractually dedicated to us under our management agreement with our Manager.  Each of Kevin Riordan, our Chief Executive Officer, President and Director, Robert Restrick, our Chief Operating Officer, Jeffrey Conti, our Head of Commercial Underwriting, Robert Karner, our Global Head of Debt Investments, and Daniel Wickey, our Chief Financial Officer, currently devotes all of their time to our business.
 
There are conflicts of interest in our relationships with third parties, which could hinder our ability to successfully execute our business plan.

There are also potential conflicts of interest that could arise out of our relationships with certain third parties.  Our counterparties may manage assets for themselves or other clients that participate in some or all of our targeted asset classes, and therefore our counterparties may compete directly with us for opportunities or may have other clients that do so.  As a result, we may compete with our counterparties or their other clients for opportunities and, as a result, we may either not be presented with certain opportunities or have to compete with such other clients to acquire these assets.  Further, at times when there are turbulent conditions in the mortgage markets or distress in the credit markets or other times when we will need focused support from our counterparties, other clients of our counterparties will likewise require greater focus and attention, placing our counterparties’ resources in high demand.  Employees of such counterparties may have conflicts between their duties to us and their employer.  It is not expected that our counterparties will be required to devote a specific amount of time to our operations.  In such situations, we may not receive the level of support and assistance that we may need to successfully execute our business plan.
 
 
There are conflicts of interest in our relationship with our Manager and Annaly, which could result in decisions that are not in the best interest of our stockholders.

We are subject to potential conflicts of interest arising out of our relationship with Annaly and our Manager.  An Annaly executive officer is our Manager’s sole director; two of Annaly’s employees are our directors; and several of Annaly’s employees are officers of our Manager and us.  Specifically, each of our officers also serves as an employee of our Manager or Annaly.  As a result, our Manager and our executives may have conflicts between their duties to us and their duties to, and interests in, Annaly or our Manager.  There may also be conflicts in allocating assets which are suitable both for us and Annaly as well as other FIDAC managed funds.  Annaly may compete with us with respect to certain assets which we may want to acquire, and as a result, we may either not be presented with the opportunity or have to compete with Annaly or other FIDAC-managed funds to acquire these assets.  Our Manager and our executive officers may choose to allocate favorable assets to Annaly or other FIDAC-managed funds instead of to us.  The ability of our Manager and its officers and employees to engage in other business activities may reduce the time our Manager spends managing us.  Further, during turbulent conditions in the mortgage industry, distress in the credit markets or other times when we will need focused support and assistance from our Manager, other entities for which our Manager also acts as a manager will likewise require greater focus and attention, placing our Manager’s resources in high demand.  In such situations, we may not receive the necessary support and assistance we require or would otherwise receive if we were internally managed or if our Manager did not act as a manager for other entities.  There is no assurance that the allocation policy that addresses some of the conflicts relating to our assets, will be adequate to address all of the conflicts that may arise.
 
 
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As of December 31, 2012, Annaly owned approximately 12.4% of our common stock, which entitles them to receive quarterly distributions based on financial performance.  In evaluating assets and other management strategies, this may lead our Manager to place emphasis on the maximization of revenues at the expense of other criteria, such as preservation of capital.  Assets with higher yield potential are generally riskier or more speculative.  This could result in increased risk to the value of our portfolio.  Annaly and each of our Manager’s officers and employees who is an existing stockholder may sell shares in us at any time.  To the extent Annaly or our Manager’s officers and employees sell some of their shares, their interests may be less aligned with our interests.
 
 
If one or more of our Manager’s executive officers are no longer employed by our Manager, financial institutions providing any financing arrangements we may have may not provide future financing to us, which could materially and adversely affect us.

If financial institutions that we seek to finance our assets require that one or more of our Manager’s executives continue to serve in such capacity and if one or more of our Manager’s executives are no longer employed by our Manager, it may constitute an event of default and the financial institution providing the arrangement may have acceleration rights with respect to outstanding borrowings and termination rights with respect to our ability to finance our future assets with that institution. If we are unable to obtain financing for our accelerated borrowings and for our future assets under such circumstances, we could be materially and adversely affected.
 
There can be no assurance that our Manager will be able to replicate its historical performance.

Some of our targeted asset classes are different from that of other entities that are or have been managed by our Manager.  In particular, entities managed by our Manager have not purchased commercial mortgage loans or structured commercial loan securitizations.  Accordingly, our Manager’s historical returns are not indicative of its performance for our strategy, and we can offer no assurance that our Manager will replicate the historical performance of the Manager’s professionals in their previous endeavors.  Our returns could be substantially lower than the returns achieved by our Manager’s professionals’ previous endeavors.
 
Our Manager’s management fee is payable regardless of our performance, which may reduce our Manager’s incentive to devote its time and effort to seeking attractive assets for our portfolio.
 
We will pay our Manager a management fee regardless of our performance, which may reduce our Manager’s incentive to devote its time and effort to seeking assets that provide attractive risk-adjusted returns for our portfolio.  This in turn could hurt both our ability to make distributions to our stockholders and the market price of our common stock.  In addition, in calculating the management fee, unrealized gains and losses are excluded, which could incentivize our manager to sell appreciated assets and keep non-performing assets, even though it may not be in our best interest to do so.
 
The management agreement with our Manager was not negotiated on an arm’s-length basis and may not be as favorable to us as if it had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party and may be costly and difficult to terminate.

Kevin Riordan, Robert Restrick, Jeffrey Conti, Robert Karner and Daniel Wickey serve as employees of our Manager.  In addition, certain of our directors are employees of our Manager.  Our management agreement with our Manager was negotiated between related parties, and its terms, including fees payable, may not be as favorable to us as if it had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party.

Termination of the management agreement with our Manager without cause is difficult and costly.  Our independent directors will review our Manager’s performance and the management fees annually.  During the initial three-year term of the management agreement, we may not terminate the management agreement except for cause.  Following the initial term, the management agreement may be terminated annually by us without cause upon the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our independent directors, or by a vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock (other than those shares held by Annaly or its affiliates), based upon: (i) our Manager’s unsatisfactory performance that is materially detrimental to us, or (ii) a determination that the management fees payable to our Manager are not fair, subject to our Manager’s right to prevent termination based on unfair fees by accepting a reduction of management fees agreed to by at least two-thirds of our independent directors.  Our Manager will be provided 60-days’ prior notice of any such termination.  Additionally, upon such termination, the management agreement provides that we will pay our Manager a termination fee equal to three times the average annual management fee (or if the period is less than 24 months annualized) earned by our Manager during the prior 24-month period before such termination, calculated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter.  These provisions may adversely affect our ability to terminate our Manager without cause.
 
 
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Our Manager is only contractually committed to serve us until December 31, 2013.  Thereafter, the management agreement is renewable on an annual basis; provided, however, that our Manager may terminate the management agreement annually upon 180-days’ prior notice.  If the management agreement is terminated and no suitable replacement is found to manage us, we may not be able to execute our business plan.
 
Our board of directors has approved very broad asset guidelines for our Manager and will not approve each decision made by our Manager.

Our Manager is authorized to follow very broad asset guidelines.  Our board of directors reviews our asset guidelines and our portfolio at least quarterly, but will not, and will not be required to, review all of our proposed asset acquisitions or any type or category of asset, except that an asset in a security structured or managed by our Manager must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.  In addition, in conducting periodic reviews, our board of directors may rely primarily on information provided to them by our Manager.  Furthermore, our Manager may use complex strategies, and transactions entered into by our Manager may be costly, difficult or impossible to unwind by the time they are reviewed by our board of directors.  Our Manager will have great latitude within broad asset guidelines in determining the types of assets it may decide are proper for us, which could result in returns that are substantially below expectations or that result in losses, which would materially and adversely affect our business operations and results.  Furthermore, decisions made by our Manager may not be in your best interest.
 
Our Manager has an incentive to deploy our funds in investment vehicles managed by our Manager, which may reduce other opportunities available to us.

While purchasing interests in investment vehicles managed by our Manager requires approval by a majority of our independent directors, our Manager has an incentive to deploy our funds in investment vehicles managed by our Manager.  In addition, we cannot assure you that purchasing interests in investment vehicles managed by our Manager will prove beneficial to us.
 
We compete with investment vehicles of our Manager for access to our Manager’s resources and asset acquisition opportunities.

Our Manager provides investment and financial advice to a number of investment vehicles and some of our Manager’s personnel are also employees of Annaly and in that capacity are involved in Annaly’s asset acquisition process.  Accordingly, we will compete with our Manager’s other investment vehicles and with Annaly for our Manager’s resources and asset acquisition opportunities.  In the future, our Manager may sponsor and manage other investment vehicles with a focus that overlaps with ours, which could result in us competing for access to the benefits that we expect our relationship with our Manager to provide to us.
 
Risks Related To Our Assets
 
A prolonged economic slowdown or continued declining real estate values could impair our assets and harm our operating results.

Many of our assets may be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions, which could lead to financial losses in our assets and a decrease in revenues, net income and asset values.  Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us.  These events could result in significant diminution in the value of our assets, prevent us from increasing our assets and have an adverse effect on our operating results.
 
 
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Difficult conditions in the mortgage and commercial real estate markets may cause us to experience market losses related to our holdings, and these conditions may not improve in the near future.
 
Our results of operations are materially affected by conditions in the mortgage and commercial real estate markets, the financial markets and the economy generally.  Continuing concerns about the real estate market, as well as energy costs, geopolitical issues and the availability and cost of credit, have contributed to increased volatility and diminished expectations for the economy and markets going forward.  Declines in the market values of our assets may adversely affect our results of operations and credit availability, which may reduce earnings and, in turn, cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
 
In addition, weakness in the residential and commercial real estate markets have resulted in significant asset write-downs by financial institutions, which have caused many financial institutions to seek additional capital, to merge with other institutions and, in some cases, to fail. We may rely on the availability of financing to acquire real estate-related securities and commercial mortgage loans. Institutions from which we will seek to obtain financing may have owned or financed real estate-related securities and commercial real estate loans, which have declined in value and caused them to suffer losses as a result of the downturn in the real estate markets. Many lenders and institutional investors have reduced and, in some cases, ceased to provide funding to borrowers, including other financial institutions. If these conditions persist, these institutions may become insolvent or tighten their lending standards, which could make it more difficult for us to obtain financing on favorable terms or at all. Our profitability may be adversely affected if we are unable to obtain cost-effective financing for our assets.
 
Adverse developments in the broader residential and commercial mortgage market may adversely affect the value of the assets in which we invest.

For the past few years, the residential and commercial mortgage market in the United States has experienced a variety of difficulties and changed economic conditions, including defaults, credit losses and liquidity concerns.  Certain commercial banks, investment banks and insurance companies have announced extensive losses from exposure to the residential and commercial mortgage market.  These losses have reduced financial industry capital, leading to reduced liquidity for some institutions.  These factors have impacted investor perception of the risk associated with CMBS and commercial mortgage loans which we may acquire.  As a result, values for CMBS and commercial mortgage loans in which we invest may experience volatility.  Further increased volatility and deterioration in the broader residential and commercial mortgage and CMBS and RMBS markets may adversely affect the performance and market value of our assets.
 
Any decline in the value of our assets, or perceived market uncertainty about their value, would likely make it difficult for us to obtain financing on favorable terms or at all, or maintain our compliance with terms of any financing arrangements already in place.  The CMBS in which we invest are classified for accounting purposes as available-for-sale.  All assets classified as available-for-sale will be reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity.  As a result, a decline in fair values may reduce the book value of our assets.  Moreover, if the decline in fair value of an available-for-sale security is other-than-temporarily impaired, such decline will reduce earnings.  If market conditions result in a decline in the fair value of our CMBS, our financial position and results of operations could be adversely affected.
 
The commercial mortgage loans we acquire and the mortgage loans underlying our CMBS assets depend on the ability of the commercial property owner to generate net income from operating the property.  Failure to do so may result in delinquency and/or foreclosure.

Commercial mortgage loans are secured by multifamily or commercial property and are subject to risks of delinquency and foreclosure, and risks of loss that may be greater than similar risks associated with loans made on the security of single-family residential property. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan secured by an income-producing property typically is dependent primarily upon the successful operation of such property rather than upon the existence of independent income or assets of the borrower. If the net operating income of the property is reduced, the borrower’s ability to repay the loan may be impaired. Net operating income of an income-producing property can be adversely affected by, among other things,
 
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·
tenant mix;
 
 
·
success of tenant businesses;
 
 
·
property management decisions;
 
 
·
property location, condition and design;
 
 
·
competition from comparable types of properties;
 
 
·
changes in laws that increase operating expenses or limit rents that may be charged;
 
 
·
changes in national, regional or local economic conditions or specific industry segments, including the credit and securitization markets;
 
 
·
declines in regional or local real estate values;
 
 
·
declines in regional or local rental or occupancy rates;
 
 
·
increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates and other operating expenses;
 
 
·
costs of remediation and liabilities associated with environmental conditions;
 
 
·
the potential for uninsured or underinsured property losses;
 
 
·
changes in governmental laws and regulations, including fiscal policies, zoning ordinances and environmental legislation and the related costs of compliance; and
 
 
·
acts of God, terrorist attacks, social unrest and civil disturbances.
 
In the event of any default under a mortgage loan held directly by us, we will bear a risk of loss of principal to the extent of any deficiency between the value of the collateral and the principal and accrued interest of the mortgage loan, which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow from operations and limit amounts available for distribution to our stockholders.  In the event of the bankruptcy of a mortgage loan borrower, the mortgage loan to such borrower will be deemed to be secured only to the extent of the value of the underlying collateral at the time of bankruptcy (as determined by the bankruptcy court), and the lien securing the mortgage loan will be subject to the avoidance powers of the bankruptcy trustee or debtor-in-possession to the extent the lien is unenforceable under state law.  Foreclosure of a mortgage loan can be an expensive and lengthy process, which could have a substantial negative effect on our anticipated return on the foreclosed mortgage loan.
 
We may not realize income or gains from our assets.

We seek to generate both current income and capital appreciation.  The properties we invest in, however, may not appreciate in value and, in fact, may decline in value.  In addition, the loans and debt securities we purchase may default on interest or principal payments.  Accordingly, we may not be able to realize income or gains from our assets.  Any gains that we do realize may not be sufficient to offset any other losses we experience.  Any income that we realize may not be sufficient to offset our expenses.
 
Because assets we acquire may experience periods of illiquidity, we may lose profits or be prevented from earning capital gains if we cannot sell mortgage-related assets at an opportune time.

We bear the risk of being unable to dispose of our targeted assets at advantageous times or in a timely manner because mortgage-related assets generally experience periods of illiquidity, including the recent period of delinquencies and defaults with respect to commercial mortgage loans.  The lack of liquidity may result from the absence of a willing buyer or an established market for these assets, as well as legal or contractual restrictions on resale or the unavailability of financing for these assets.  As a result, our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions may be relatively limited, which may cause us to incur losses.
 
The lack of liquidity in our assets may adversely affect our business.

The illiquidity of our assets in real estate loans and CMBS may make it difficult for us to sell such assets if the need or desire arises.  Many of the securities we purchase are not be registered under the relevant securities laws, resulting in a prohibition against their transfer, sale, pledge or their disposition except in a transaction that is exempt from the registration requirements of, or otherwise in accordance with, those laws. In addition, certain assets such as B-Notes, mezzanine loans, preferred equity and bridge and other loans are also particularly illiquid assets due to their potential unsuitability for securitization and the greater difficulty of recovery in the event of a borrower’s default.  Moreover, turbulent market conditions, such as those recently in effect, could significantly and negatively impact the liquidity of our assets. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain third party pricing on the assets we purchase. Illiquid assets typically experience greater price volatility, as a ready market does not exist, and can be more difficult to value.  In addition, validating third party pricing for illiquid assets may be more subjective than more liquid assets.  As a result, we expect many of our assets will be illiquid and if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded our assets.  Further, we may face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an asset in a business entity to the extent that we or our Manager has or could be attributed with material, nonpublic information regarding such business entity.  As a result, our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions may be relatively limited, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
 
 
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Our assets may be concentrated and will be subject to risk of default.

We are not required to observe specific diversification criteria.  To the extent that our portfolio is concentrated in any one region or type of asset, downturns relating generally to such region or type of asset may result in defaults on a number of our assets within a short time period, which may reduce our net income and the value of our shares and accordingly may reduce our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.
 
Our CMBS assets are subject to losses.

The CMBS we acquire are subject to losses. In general, losses on a mortgaged property securing a mortgage loan included in a securitization will be borne first by the equity holder of the property, then by the holder of a mezzanine loan or B-Note, if any, then by the “first loss” subordinated security holder generally, the “B-Piece” buyer, and then by the holder of a higher-rated security.  In the event of default and the exhaustion of any equity support, mezzanine loans or B-Notes, and any classes of securities junior to those which we acquire, we will not be able to recover all of our capital in the securities we purchase.  In addition, if the underlying mortgage portfolio has been overvalued by the originator, or if the values subsequently decline and, as a result, less collateral is available to satisfy interest and principal payments due on the related mortgage-backed securities.  The prices of lower credit quality CMBS are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than more highly rated CMBS, but more sensitive to adverse economic downturns or individual issuer developments.  The projection of an economic downturn, for example, could cause a decline in the price of lower credit quality CMBS because the ability of obligors of mortgages underlying CMBS to make principal and interest payments may be impaired. In such event, existing credit support in the securitization structure may be insufficient to protect us against loss of our principal on these securities.
 
We may not control the special servicing of the mortgage loans included in the CMBS in which we invest and, in such cases, the special servicer may take actions that could adversely affect our interests.

With respect to the CMBS in which we may invest, overall control over the special servicing of the related underlying mortgage loans will be held by a “directing certificate holder” or a “controlling class representative,” which is appointed by the holders of the most subordinate class of CMBS in such series.  To the extent that we focus on acquiring classes of existing series of CMBS originally rated AAA, we will not have the right to appoint the directing certificate holder.  In connection with the servicing of the specially serviced mortgage loans, the related special servicer may, at the direction of the directing certificate holder, take actions with respect to the specially serviced mortgage loans that could adversely affect our interests.
 
If our Manager overestimates the yields or incorrectly prices the risks of our assets, we may experience losses.

Our Manager values our potential assets based on yields and risks, taking into account estimated future losses on the mortgage loans and the underlying collateral included in the securitization’s pools, and the estimated impact of these losses on expected future cash flows and returns.  Our Manager’s loss estimates may not prove accurate, as actual results may vary from estimates. In the event that our Manager underestimates the asset level losses relative to the price we pay for a particular asset, we may experience losses with respect to such asset.
 
 
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Purchases of non-conforming and non-investment grade rated loans or securities involve increased risk of loss.

It is possible that some of the loans we acquire will not conform to conventional loan standards applied by traditional lenders and either will not be rated or will be rated as non-investment grade by the rating agencies.  The non-investment grade ratings for these assets typically result from the overall leverage of the loans, the lack of a strong operating history for the properties underlying the loans, the borrowers’ credit history, the properties’ underlying cash flow or other factors.  As a result, these loans will have a higher risk of default and loss than investment grade rated assets. Any loss we incur may be significant and may reduce distributions to our stockholders and adversely affect the market value of our common shares.  There are no limits on the percentage of unrated or non-investment grade rated assets we may hold in our portfolio.
 
Any credit ratings assigned to our assets will be subject to ongoing evaluations and revisions, and we cannot assure you that those ratings will not be downgraded.

Some of our assets may be rated by Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Ratings, Standard & Poor’s, DBRS, Inc., Realpoint LLC or other credit ratings organizations.  Any credit ratings on our assets are subject to ongoing evaluation by credit rating agencies, and we cannot assure you that any such ratings will not be changed or withdrawn by a rating agency in the future if, in its judgment, circumstances warrant.  If rating agencies assign a lower-than-expected rating or reduce or withdraw, or indicate that they may reduce or withdraw, their ratings of our assets in the future, the value of these assets could significantly decline, which would adversely affect the value of our portfolio and could result in losses upon disposition or the failure of borrowers to satisfy their debt service obligations to us.
 
The B-Notes that we may acquire may be subject to additional risks related to the privately negotiated structure and terms of the transaction, which may result in losses to us.

We may acquire B-Notes. A B-Note is a mortgage loan typically (1) secured by a first mortgage on a single large commercial property or group of related properties and (2) subordinated to an A-Note secured by the same first mortgage on the same collateral.  As a result, if a borrower defaults, there may not be sufficient funds remaining for B-Note holders after payment to the A Note holders. However, because each transaction is privately negotiated, B-Notes can vary in their structural characteristics and risks. For example, the rights of holders of B-Notes to control the process following a borrower default may vary from transaction to transaction.  Further, B-Notes typically are secured by a single property and so reflect the risks associated with significant concentration.  Significant losses related to our B-Notes would result in operating losses for us and may limit our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
 
Our mezzanine loan assets will involve greater risks of loss than senior loans secured by income-producing properties.

We have acquired and may continue to acquire mezzanine loans, which take the form of subordinated loans secured by second mortgages on the underlying property or loans secured by a pledge of the ownership interests of either the entity owning the property or a pledge of the ownership interests of the entity that owns the interest in the entity owning the property.  These types of assets involve a higher degree of risk than long-term senior mortgage lending secured by income-producing real property, because the loan may become unsecured as a result of foreclosure by the senior lender. In the event of a bankruptcy of the entity providing the pledge of its ownership interests as security, we may not have full recourse to the assets of such entity, or the assets of the entity may not be sufficient to satisfy our mezzanine loan.  If a borrower defaults on our mezzanine loan or debt senior to our loan, or in the event of a borrower bankruptcy, our mezzanine loan will be satisfied only after the senior debt.  As a result, we may not recover some or all of our initial expenditure.  In addition, mezzanine loans may have higher loan-to-value ratios than conventional mortgage loans, resulting in less equity in the property and increasing the risk of loss of principal.  Significant losses related to our mezzanine loans would result in operating losses for us and may limit our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
 
 
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We may be required to repurchase mortgage loans or indemnify investors if we breach representations and warranties, which could harm our earnings.

When we sell loans, we will be required to make customary representations and warranties about such loans to the loan purchaser.  Our commercial mortgage loan sale agreements will require us to repurchase or substitute loans in the event we breach a representation or warranty given to the loan purchaser.  In addition, we may be required to repurchase loans as a result of borrower fraud or in the event of early payment default on a mortgage loan.  Likewise, we may be required to repurchase or substitute loans if we breach a representation or warranty in connection with our securitizations.  The remedies available to a purchaser of mortgage loans are generally broader than those available to us against the originating broker or correspondent.  Further, if a purchaser enforces its remedies against us, we may not be able to enforce the remedies we have against the sellers.  The repurchased loans typically can only be financed at a steep discount to their repurchase price, if at all.  They are also typically sold at a significant discount to the unpaid principal balance.  Significant repurchase activity could harm our cash flow, results of operations, financial condition and business prospects.
 
Our Manager’s and our third party loan originators and servicers’ due diligence of potential assets may not reveal all of the liabilities associated with such assets and may not reveal other weaknesses in such assets, which could lead to losses.

Before making an asset acquisition, our Manager will assess the strengths and weaknesses of the originator or issuer of the asset as well as other factors and characteristics that are material to the performance of the asset.  In making the assessment and otherwise conducting customary due diligence, our Manager will rely on resources available to it, including our third party loan originators and servicers.  This process is particularly important with respect to newly formed originators or issuers because there may be little or no information publicly available about these entities and assets.  There can be no assurance that our Manager’s due diligence process will uncover all relevant facts or that any asset acquisition will be successful.
 
 
Our real estate assets are subject to risks particular to real property, which may adversely affect our returns from certain assets and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.

We own assets secured by real estate and own real estate directly, in the future, we may own real estate directly either through direct purchases or upon a default of mortgage loans.  Real estate assets are subject to various risks, including:

 
·
acts of God, including earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, which may result in uninsured losses;
 
 
·
acts of war or terrorism, including the consequences of terrorist attacks, such as those that occurred on September 11, 2001;
 
 
·
adverse changes in national and local economic and market conditions;
 
 
·
changes in governmental laws and regulations, fiscal policies and zoning ordinances and the related costs of compliance with laws and regulations, fiscal policies and ordinances;
 
 
·
costs of remediation and liabilities associated with environmental conditions such as indoor mold; and
 
 
·
the potential for uninsured or under-insured property losses.

 
If any of these or similar events occurs, it may reduce our return from an affected property or investment and reduce or eliminate our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
 
Construction loans involve an increased risk of loss.

We may acquire construction loans.  If we fail to fund our entire commitment on a construction loan or if a borrower otherwise fails to complete the construction of a project, there could be adverse consequences associated with the loan, including: a loss of the value of the property securing the loan, especially if the borrower is unable to raise funds to complete it from other sources; a borrower claim against us for failure to perform under the loan documents; increased costs to the borrower that the borrower is unable to pay; a bankruptcy filing by the borrower; and abandonment by the borrower of the collateral for the loan.

 
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Risks of cost overruns and noncompletion of renovation of the properties underlying rehabilitation loans may result in significant losses.  The renovation, refurbishment or expansion by a borrower under a mortgaged property involves risks of cost overruns and noncompletion. Estimates of the costs of improvements to bring an acquired property up to standards established for the market position intended for that property may prove inaccurate.  Other risks may include rehabilitation costs exceeding original estimates, possibly making a project uneconomical, environmental risks and rehabilitation and subsequent leasing of the property not being completed on schedule.  If such renovation is not completed in a timely manner, or if it costs more than expected, the borrower may experience a prolonged impairment of net operating income and may not be able to make payments on our investment, which could result in significant losses.
 
Our Manager uses analytical models and data in connection with the valuation of our assets, and any incorrect, misleading or incomplete information used in connection therewith would subject us to potential risks.

Given the complexity of our assets and strategies, our Manager must rely heavily on analytical models (both proprietary models developed by our Manager and those supplied by third parties) and information and data supplied by our third party loan originators and servicers, or models and data.  Models and data are used to value assets or potential asset purchases and also in connection with hedging our assets.  When models and data prove to be incorrect, misleading or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon expose us to potential risks. For example, by relying on models and data, especially valuation models, our Manager may be induced to buy certain assets at prices that are too high, to sell certain other assets at prices that are too low or to miss favorable opportunities altogether.  Similarly, any hedging based on faulty models and data may prove to be unsuccessful.  Furthermore, any valuations of our assets that are based on valuation models may prove to be incorrect.

Some of the risks of relying on analytical models and third-party data are particular to analyzing tranches from securitizations, such as CMBS or RMBS. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) collateral cash flows and/or liability structures may be incorrectly modeled in all or only certain scenarios, or may be modeled based on simplifying assumptions that lead to errors; (ii) information about collateral may be incorrect, incomplete, or misleading; (iii) collateral or bond historical performance (such as historical prepayments, defaults, cash flows, etc.) may be incorrectly reported, or subject to interpretation (e.g., different issuers may report delinquency statistics based on different definitions of what constitutes a delinquent loan); or (iv) collateral or bond information may be outdated, in which case the models may contain incorrect assumptions as to what has occurred since the date information was last updated.

Some of the analytical models used by our Manager, such as mortgage prepayment models or mortgage default models, are predictive in nature.  The use of predictive models has inherent risks.  For example, such models may incorrectly forecast future behavior, leading to potential losses on a cash flow and/or a mark-to-market basis. In addition, the predictive models used by our Manager may differ substantially from those models used by other market participants, with the result that valuations based on these predictive models may be substantially higher or lower for certain assets than actual market prices.  Furthermore, since predictive models are usually constructed based on historical data supplied by third parties, the success of relying on such models may depend heavily on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied historical data and the ability of these historical models to accurately reflect future periods.

All valuation models rely on correct market data inputs. If incorrect market data is entered into even a well-founded valuation model, the resulting valuations will be incorrect. However, even if market data is inputted correctly, “model prices” will often differ substantially from market prices, especially for securities with complex characteristics, such as derivative securities.
 
Interest rate mismatches between our assets and our borrowings used to fund our purchases of these assets may reduce our income during periods of changing interest rates.

We may fund some of our acquisitions of commercial real estate loans and real estate-related securities with borrowings that have interest rates based on indices and repricing terms with shorter maturities than the interest rate indices and repricing terms of our adjustable-rate assets. Accordingly, if short-term interest rates increase, this may harm our profitability.
 
 
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Some of the commercial real estate loans and real estate-related securities we acquire will be fixed-rate securities. This means that their interest rates will not vary over time based upon changes in a short-term interest rate index. Therefore, the interest rate indices and repricing terms of the assets that we acquire and their funding sources will create an interest rate mismatch between our assets and liabilities. During periods of changing interest rates, these mismatches could reduce our net income, dividend yield and the market price of our stock.

Accordingly, in a period of rising interest rates, we could experience a decrease in net income or a net loss because the interest rates on our borrowings will adjust whereas the interest rates on our fixed-rate assets will remain unchanged.
 
Interest rate caps on our adjustable-rate CMBS and RMBS may adversely affect our profitability.

Adjustable-rate CMBS and RMBS are typically subject to periodic and lifetime interest rate caps. Periodic interest rate caps limit the amount an interest rate can increase during any given period. Lifetime interest rate caps limit the amount an interest rate can increase over the life of the security. Our borrowings typically will not be subject to similar restrictions. Accordingly, in a period of rapidly increasing interest rates, the interest rates paid on our borrowings could increase without limitation while caps could limit the interest rates on our adjustable-rate CMBS and RMBS. This problem is magnified for hybrid adjustable-rate and adjustable-rate CMBS and RMBS that are not fully indexed. Further, some hybrid adjustable-rate and adjustable-rate CMBS and RMBS may be subject to periodic payment caps that result in a portion of the interest being deferred and added to the principal outstanding. As a result, we may receive less cash income on hybrid adjustable-rate and adjustable-rate CMBS and RMBS than we need to pay interest on our related borrowings. These factors could reduce our net interest income and cause us to suffer a loss.
 
Our reserves for loan losses may prove inadequate, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.
 
We maintain financial reserves to protect against potential losses and conduct a review of the adequacy of these reserves on a quarterly basis.  Our reserves reflect management’s current judgment of the probability and severity of losses within our overall portfolio, based on this quarterly review.  However, estimation of ultimate loan losses, projected expenses and loss reserves is a complex process and there can be no assurance that management’s judgment will prove to be correct and that reserves will be adequate over time to protect against future losses.  Such losses could be caused by factors including, but not limited to, unanticipated adverse changes in the economy or events adversely affecting specific assets, co-venturers, borrowers, industries in which our borrowers operate or markets in which our borrowers or their properties are located.  If our reserves for credit losses prove inadequate we may suffer additional losses which would have a material adverse effect on our financial performance and results of operations.
 
We may suffer losses when a borrower defaults on a loan and the underlying collateral value is less than the amount due.
 
If a borrower defaults on a non-recourse loan, we will only have recourse to the real estate-related assets collateralizing the loan.  If the underlying collateral value is less than the loan amount, we will suffer a loss.  Conversely, some of our loans are unsecured or are secured only by equity interests in the borrowing entities.  These loans are subject to the risk that other lenders in the capital stack may be directly secured by the real estate assets of the borrower or may otherwise have a superior right to repayment.  Upon a default, those collateralized lenders would have priority over us with respect to the proceeds of a sale of the underlying real estate.  In cases described above, we may lack control over the underlying asset collateralizing our loan or the underlying assets of the borrower before a default, and, as a result, the value of the collateral may be reduced by acts or omissions by owners or managers of the assets.  In addition, the value of the underlying real estate may be adversely affected by some or all of the risks referenced above with respect to our owned real estate.
 
Some of our loans may be backed by individual or corporate guarantees from borrowers or their affiliates which are not secured.  If the guarantees are not fully or partially secured, we typically rely on financial covenants from borrowers and guarantors which are designed to require the borrower or guarantor to maintain certain levels of creditworthiness.  Where we do not have recourse to specific collateral pledged to satisfy such guarantees or recourse loans, we will only have recourse as an unsecured creditor to the general assets of the borrower or guarantor, some or all of which may be pledged as collateral for other lenders.  There can be no assurance that a borrower or guarantor will comply with its financial covenants, or that sufficient assets will be available to pay amounts owed to us under our loans and guarantees.  As a result of these factors, we may suffer additional losses which could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance.
 
 
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Upon a borrower bankruptcy, we may not have full recourse to the assets of the borrower to satisfy our loan.  In addition, certain of our loans are subordinate to other debt of certain borrowers.  If a borrower defaults on our loan or on debt senior to our loan, or upon a borrower bankruptcy, our loan will be satisfied only after the senior debt receives payment.  Where debt senior to our loan exists, the presence of intercreditor arrangements may limit our ability to amend our loan documents, assign our loans, accept prepayments, exercise our remedies (through “standstill” periods) and control decisions made in bankruptcy proceedings.  Bankruptcy and borrower litigation can significantly increase collection costs and the time needed for us to acquire title to the underlying collateral (if applicable), during which time the collateral and/or a borrower’s financial condition may decline in value, causing us to suffer additional losses.
 
If the value of collateral underlying a loan declines or the interest rates increase during the term of a loan, a borrower may not be able to obtain the necessary funds to repay our loan at maturity through refinancing because the underlying property revenue cannot satisfy the debt service coverage requirements necessary to obtain new financing.  If a borrower is unable to repay our loan at maturity, we could suffer additional loss which may adversely impact our financial performance.
 
We may experience a decline in the fair value of our assets.

A decline in the fair market value of our assets may require us to recognize an “other-than-temporary” impairment against such assets under GAAP if we were to determine that, with respect to any assets in unrealized loss positions, we do not have the ability and intent to hold such assets to maturity or for a period of time sufficient to allow for recovery to the amortized cost of such assets.  If such a determination were to be made, we would recognize unrealized losses through earnings and write down the amortized cost of such assets to a new cost basis, based on the fair value of such assets on the date they are considered to be other-than-temporarily impaired. Such impairment charges reflect non-cash losses at the time of recognition; subsequent disposition or sale of such assets could further affect our future losses or gains, as they are based on the difference between the sale price received and adjusted amortized cost of such assets at the time of sale.

Some of our portfolio assets may be recorded at fair value and, as a result, there will be uncertainty as to the value of these assets.  Some of our portfolio assets are in the form of positions or securities that are not publicly traded.  The fair value of securities and other investments that are not publicly traded may not be readily determinable.  We value these assets quarterly at fair value. Because such valuations are subjective, the fair value of certain of our assets may fluctuate over short periods of time and our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these securities existed.  The value of our common stock could be adversely affected if our determinations regarding the fair value of these investments were materially higher than the values that we ultimately realize upon their disposal.
 
An increase in prepayment rates could adversely affect yields on our assets.

The value of our assets may be affected by prepayment rates on mortgage loans.  Prepayment rates on mortgage loans are influenced by changes in interest rates and a variety of economic, geographic and other factors and consequently, prepayment rates cannot be predicted with certainty.  In periods of declining mortgage interest rates, prepayments on mortgage loans generally increase. If general interest rates decline as well, we are likely to reinvest the proceeds of prepayments received during these periods in assets yielding less than the mortgage loans that were prepaid. In addition, the market value of the mortgage loan assets may, because of the risk of prepayment, benefit less than other fixed-income securities from declining interest rates.  Conversely, in periods of rising interest rates, prepayments on mortgage loans generally decrease, in which case we would not have the prepayment proceeds available to acquire assets with higher yields.  Under certain interest rate and prepayment scenarios, we may fail to recoup fully our cost of certain assets purchased at a premium to face value.  In addition, other factors such as the credit rating of the borrower, the rate of home price appreciation or depreciation and the availability of public or private loan modification programs, none of which can be predicted with any certainty, may affect prepayment speeds on mortgage loans.
 
 
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Liability relating to environmental matters may impact the value of properties that we may acquire upon foreclosure of the properties underlying our assets.

If we foreclose on properties with respect to which we have extended mortgage loans, we may be subject to environmental liabilities arising from such foreclosed properties.  Under various U.S. federal, state and local laws, an owner or operator of real property may become liable for the costs of removal of certain hazardous substances released on its property. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the release of such hazardous substances.

The presence of hazardous substances may adversely affect an owner’s ability to sell real estate or borrow using real estate as collateral. To the extent that an owner of a property underlying one of our debt investments becomes liable for removal costs, the ability of the owner to make payments to us may be reduced, which in turn may adversely affect the value of the relevant mortgage asset held by us and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders. If we acquire any properties, the presence of hazardous substances on a property may adversely affect our ability to sell the property and we may incur substantial remediation costs, thus harming our financial condition. The discovery of material environmental liabilities attached to such properties could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
 
The conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, their reliance upon the U.S. Government for solvency, and related efforts that may significantly affect Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and their relationship with the U.S. Government, may adversely affect our business, operations and financial condition.

The problems faced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac resulting in their placement into federal conservatorship and receipt of significant U.S. Government support have sparked debate among some federal policy makers regarding the continued role of the U.S. Government in providing liquidity for mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities.  With Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s future under debate, the nature of their guarantee obligations could be considerably limited relative to historical measurements.  Any changes to the nature of their guarantee obligations could redefine what constitutes an Agency mortgage-backed security and could have broad adverse implications for the market and our business, operations and financial condition.  If Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are eliminated, or their structures change radically (i.e., limitation or removal of the guarantee obligation), we may be unable to acquire additional Agency mortgage-backed securities.

Although the Treasury has committed capital to support Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and in a White Paper titled “Reforming America's Housing Finance Market” the Treasury committed to providing sufficient capital to enable Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to meet their current and future guarantee obligations, there can be no assurance that these actions will be adequate for their needs. If these actions are inadequate, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could continue to suffer losses and could fail to honor their guarantees and other obligations.  Furthermore, the current credit support provided by the Treasury to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and any additional credit support it may provide in the future, could have the effect of lowering the interest rates we expect to receive from mortgage-backed securities, and tightening the spread between the interest we earn on our mortgage-backed securities and the cost of financing those assets.

Future policies that change the relationship between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the U.S. Government, including those that result in their winding down, nationalization, privatization, or elimination, may create market uncertainty and have the effect of reducing the actual or perceived credit quality of securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.  As a result, such policies could increase the risk of loss on investments in Agency mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac.  It also is possible that such policies could adversely impact the market for such securities and spreads at which they trade.  All of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect our business, operations and financial condition.
 
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies subject us to foreign currency risks.
 
        We may acquire assets in transactions denominated in foreign currencies, including in Euros, which exposes us to foreign currency risk.  As a result, a change in foreign currency exchange rates may have an adverse impact on the valuation of our assets, as well as our income and distributions.  Any such changes inforeign currency exchange rates may impact the measurement of such assets or income for the purposes of our REIT tests. 
 
 
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Risks Related To Our Business
 
We may change our strategy or asset guidelines, asset allocation, financing strategy or leverage policies without stockholder consent, which may result in riskier asset purchases.

We may change our strategy or asset guidelines, asset allocation, financing strategy or leverage policies at any time without the consent of our stockholders, which could result in our purchasing assets that are different from, and possibly riskier than, the assets described in this annual report or other reports we file from time to time.  A change in our strategy may increase our exposure to default risk, real estate market fluctuations and interest rate risk.  These changes could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
 
We have reported a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting in the past, and if we experience additional material weaknesses, our financial results may not be accurately reported.
 
Management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011 identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting as described in “Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.” If we experience additional material weaknesses in the future, this could prevent us from accurately reporting our financial results, result in material misstatements in our financial statements or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. Failure to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 could negatively affect our business, the price of our common stock and market confidence in our reported financial information.
 
We are subject to additional risks associated with loan participations.
 
Some of our loans may be participation interests or co-lender arrangements in which we share the rights, obligations and benefits of the loan with other lenders.  We may need the consent of these parties to exercise our rights under such loans, including rights with respect to amendment of loan documentation, enforcement proceedings upon a default and the institution of, and control over, foreclosure proceedings.  Similarly, certain participants may be able to take actions to which we object but to which we will be bound if our participation interest represents a minority interest.  We may be adversely affected by this lack of control.
 
We operate in a highly competitive market for asset acquisition opportunities and more established competitors may be able to compete more effectively for asset acquisition opportunities than we can.

A number of entities compete with us to purchase the types of assets that we acquire.  We compete with other REITs, public and private funds, commercial and investment banks and commercial finance companies, including some of the third parties with which we expect to have relationships.  Many of our competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do.  Several other REITs have recently raised, or may raise, significant amounts of capital, and may have objectives that overlap with ours, which may create competition for asset acquisition opportunities.  Some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that are not available to us.  In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of asset acquisitions and establish more relationships than us.  We cannot assure you that the competitive pressures we face will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.  Also, as a result of this competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive asset acquisition opportunities from time to time, and we can offer no assurance that we will be able to identify and purchase assets that are consistent with our objectives.
 
Maintenance of our exemption from registration under the 1940 Act imposes significant limits on our operations.

We conduct our operations so that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries are required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act. Because we are a holding company that will conduct its businesses primarily through wholly-owned subsidiaries, the securities issued by these subsidiaries that are excepted from the definition of “investment company” under Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act, together with any other investment securities we may own, may not have a combined value in excess of 40% of the value of our adjusted total assets on an unconsolidated basis. This requirement limits the types of businesses in which we may engage through our subsidiaries. In addition, the assets we and our subsidiaries may acquire are limited by the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated under the 1940 Act, which may adversely affect our performance.
 
 
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If the value of securities issued by our subsidiaries that are excepted from the definition of “investment company” by Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act, together with any other investment securities we own, exceeds 40% of our adjusted total assets on an unconsolidated basis, or if one or more of such subsidiaries fail to maintain an exception or exemption from the 1940 Act, we could, among other things, be required either (a) to substantially change the manner in which we conduct our operations to avoid being required to register as an investment company or (b) to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act, either of which could have an adverse effect on us and the market price of our securities. If we were required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act, we would become subject to substantial regulation with respect to our capital structure (including our ability to use leverage), management, operations, transactions with affiliated persons (as defined in the 1940 Act), portfolio composition, including restrictions with respect to diversification and industry concentration, and other matters.

We expect CreXus S Holdings LLC and certain subsidiaries that we may form in the future to rely upon the exemption from registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act pursuant to Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the 1940 Act, which is available for entities “primarily engaged in the business of purchasing or otherwise acquiring mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate.” This exemption generally requires that at least 55% of these subsidiaries’ assets must be comprised of qualifying real estate assets and at least 80% of each of their portfolios must be comprised of qualifying real estate assets and real estate-related assets under the 1940 Act. We expect each of our subsidiaries relying on Section 3(c)(5)(C) to rely on guidance published by the SEC staff or on our analyses of guidance published with respect to other types of assets to determine which assets are qualifying real estate assets and real estate-related assets. If the SEC staff publishes new or different guidance with respect to these matters, we may be required to adjust our strategy accordingly. In addition, we may be limited in our ability to make certain investments and these limitations could result in the subsidiary holding assets we might wish to sell or selling assets we might wish to hold.

Certain of our subsidiaries may rely on the exemption provided by Section 3(c)(6) to the extent that they hold mortgage assets through majority owned subsidiaries that rely on Section 3(c)(5)(C). The SEC staff has issued little interpretive guidance with respect to Section 3(c)(6) and any guidance published by the staff could require us to adjust our strategy accordingly.

We expect certain of our subsidiaries to rely on Section 3(c)(7) for their 1940 Act exemption and, therefore our interest in each of these subsidiaries would constitute an “investment security” for purposes of determining whether we pass the 40% test.

Additionally, we may organize one or more subsidiaries that seek to rely on the 1940 Act exemption provided to certain structured financing vehicles by Rule 3a-7.  In general, Rule 3a-7 exempts from the 1940 Act issuers that limit their activities as follows:

         •
the issuer issues securities the payment of which depends primarily on the cash flow from “eligible assets” that by their terms convert into cash within a finite time period;

         •
 
the securities sold are fixed income securities rated investment grade by at least one rating agency (fixed income securities which are unrated or rated below investment grade may be sold to institutional accredited investors and any securities may be sold to “qualified institutional buyers” and to persons involved in the organization or operation of the issuer);

         •
 
the issuer acquires and disposes of eligible assets (1) only in accordance with the agreements pursuant to which the securities are issued and (2) so that the acquisition or disposition does not result in a downgrading of the issuer’s fixed income securities and (3) the eligible assets are not acquired or disposed of for the primary purpose of recognizing gains or decreasing losses resulting from market value changes; and

         •
 
unless the issuer is issuing only commercial paper, the issuer appoints an independent trustee, takes reasonable steps to transfer to the trustee an ownership or perfected security interest in the eligible assets, and meets rating agency requirements for commingling of cash flows.
 
 
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Any subsidiary also would need to be structured to comply with any guidance that may be issued by the Division of Investment Management of the SEC on how the subsidiary must be organized to comply with the restrictions contained in Rule 3a-7. Compliance with Rule 3a-7 may require that the indenture governing the subsidiary include additional limitations on the types of assets the subsidiary may sell or acquire out of the proceeds of assets that mature, are refinanced or otherwise sold, on the period of time during which such transactions may occur, and on the level of transactions that may occur. In light of the requirements of Rule 3a-7, our ability to manage assets held in a special purpose subsidiary that complies with Rule 3a-7 will be limited and we may not be able to purchase or sell assets owned by that subsidiary when we would otherwise desire to do so, which could lead to losses. Initially, we will limit the aggregate value of our interests in our subsidiaries that may in the future seek to rely on Rule 3a-7 to 20% or less of our total assets on an unconsolidated basis, as we continue to discuss with the SEC staff the use of subsidiaries that rely on Rule 3a-7 to finance our operations.

The determination of whether an entity is a majority-owned subsidiary of our company is made by us. The 1940 Act defines a majority-owned subsidiary of a person as a company 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of which are owned by such person, or by another company which is a majority-owned subsidiary of such person. The 1940 Act further defines voting securities as any security presently entitling the owner or holder thereof to vote for the election of directors of a company. We treat companies in which we own at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities as majority-owned subsidiaries for purposes of the 40% test. We have not requested the SEC to approve our treatment of any company as a majority-owned subsidiary and the SEC has not done so. If the SEC were to disagree with our treatment of one or more companies as majority-owned subsidiaries, we would need to adjust our strategy and our assets in order to continue to pass the 40% test. Any such adjustment in our strategy could have a material adverse effect on us.

There can be no assurance that the laws and regulations governing the 1940 Act status of REITs, including the Division of Investment Management of the SEC providing more specific or different guidance regarding these exemptions, will not change in a manner that adversely affects our operations. If we or our subsidiaries fail to maintain an exception or exemption from the 1940 Act, we could, among other things, be required either to (a) change the manner in which we conduct our operations to avoid being required to register as an investment company, (b) effect sales of our assets in a manner that, or at a time when, we would not otherwise choose to do so, or (c) register as an investment company, any of which could negatively affect the value of our common stock, the sustainability of our business model, and our ability to make distributions which could have an adverse effect on our business and the market price for our shares of common stock.

A recent concept release by the SEC may lead to a loss of Investment Company Act exemption that would adversely affect us.

We at all times intend to conduct our business so as not to become regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or the Investment Company Act.  If we were to become regulated as an investment company, then our use of leverage would be substantially reduced.  Section 3(a)(1)(C) of the Investment Company Act defines an investment company as any issuer that is engaged or proposes to engage in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and owns or proposes to acquire investment securities having a value exceeding 40% of the value of the issuer’s total assets (exclusive of U.S. Government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis (the “40% test”). Excluded from the term “investment securities,” among other things, are securities issued by majority-owned subsidiaries that rely on the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act.

Certain of our subsidiaries, including CreXus S Holdings LLC and certain subsidiaries that we may form in the future, rely on the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act.  Section 3(c)(5)(C) as interpreted by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (or the SEC), requires us to invest at least 55% of our assets in “mortgages and other liens on and interest in real estate” (or Qualifying Real Estate Assets) and at least 80% of our assets in Qualifying Real Estate Assets plus real estate related assets.  The assets that we acquire, therefore, are limited by the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Investment Company Act.
 
 
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On August 31, 2011, the SEC issued a concept release titled “Companies Engaged in the Business of Acquiring Mortgages and Mortgage-Related Instruments” (SEC Release No. IC-29778).  Under the concept release, the SEC is reviewing interpretive issues related to the Section 3(c)(5)(C) exemption.  If the SEC determines that any of the securities we currently treat as Qualifying Real Estate Assets are not Qualifying Real Estate Assets or otherwise believes we do not satisfy the exemption under Section 3(c)(5)(C), we could be required to restructure our activities or sell certain of our assets.  We may be required at times to adopt less efficient methods of financing certain of our mortgage assets and we may be precluded from acquiring certain types of higher yielding mortgage assets.  The net effect of these factors will be to lower our net interest income.  If we fail to qualify for exemption from registration as an investment company, our ability to use leverage would be substantially reduced, and we would not be able to conduct our business as described.  Our business will be materially and adversely affected if we fail to qualify for this exemption.
 
Rapid changes in the values of our CMBS, commercial mortgage loans and other real estate-related assets may make it more difficult for us to maintain our qualification as a REIT or exemption from the 1940 Act.

If the market value or income potential of our CMBS, commercial mortgage loans and other real estate-related assets declines as a result of market deterioration, ratings downgrades, increased interest rates, prepayment rates or other factors, we may need to increase our real estate assets and income and/or liquidate our non-qualifying assets in order to maintain our REIT qualification or exemption from the 1940 Act. If the decline in real estate asset values and/or income occurs quickly, this may be especially difficult to accomplish. This difficulty may be exacerbated by the illiquid nature of any non-qualifying assets that we may own. We may have to make decisions that we otherwise would not make absent the REIT and 1940 Act considerations.
 
We are highly dependent on information systems and third parties, and systems failures could significantly disrupt our business, which may, in turn, negatively affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

Our business is highly dependent on communications and information systems.  Any failure or interruption of our systems could cause delays or other problems in our operations, including CMBS purchases and sales, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and negatively affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.
 
The increasing number of proposed federal, state and local laws may increase our risk of liability with respect to certain mortgage loans and could increase our cost of doing business.

The United States Congress and various state and local legislatures are considering legislation, which, among other provisions, would permit limited assignee liability for certain violations in the mortgage loan origination process and “credit risk” retention by originators or securitizers of mortgage loans.  We cannot predict whether or in what form Congress or the various state and local legislatures may enact legislation affecting our business.  We are evaluating the potential impact of these initiatives, if enacted, on our practices and results of operations.  As a result of these and other initiatives, we are unable to predict whether federal, state or local authorities will require changes in our practices in the future.  These changes, if required, could adversely affect our profitability, particularly if we make such changes in response to new or amended laws, regulations or ordinances in any state where we acquire a significant portion of our mortgage loans, or if such changes result in us being held responsible for any violations in the mortgage loan origination process.

Costs of complying with changes in governmental laws and regulations may adversely affect our results of operations.

We cannot predict what other laws or regulations will be enacted in the future, how future laws or regulations will be administered or interpreted or how future laws or regulations will affect our properties, including, but not limited to environmental laws and regulations. Compliance with new laws or regulations, or stricter interpretation of existing laws, may require us, our retail tenants, or consumers to incur significant expenditures or impose significant liability and could cause a material adverse effect on our results of operation.

 
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We may suffer a loss in the event of a default or bankruptcy of a borrower.

If a borrower defaults on a mortgage, structured finance loan or other loan made by us, and does not have sufficient assets to satisfy the loan, we may suffer a loss of principal and interest. In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, we may not be able to recover against all or any of the assets of the borrower, or the assets of the borrower may not be sufficient to satisfy the balance due on the loan. In addition, certain of our loans may be subordinate to other debt of a borrower. These investments are typically loans secured by a borrower’s pledge of its ownership interests in the entity that owns the real estate or other assets. These agreements are typically subordinated to senior loans secured by other loans encumbering the underlying real estate or assets. Subordinated positions are generally subject to a higher risk of nonpayment of principal and interest than the more senior loans. If a borrower defaults on the debt senior to our loan, or in the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower, our loan will be satisfied only after the borrower’s senior creditors’ claims are satisfied. Where debt senior to our loans exists, the presence of intercreditor arrangements may limit our ability to amend loan documents, assign the loans, accept prepayments, exercise remedies and control decisions made in bankruptcy proceedings relating to borrowers. Bankruptcy proceedings and litigation can significantly increase the time needed for us to acquire underlying collateral, if any, in the event of a default, during which time the collateral may decline in value. In addition, there are significant costs and delays associated with the foreclosure process.

 
Our reported GAAP financial results differ from the taxable income results that impact our dividend distribution requirements and, therefore, our GAAP results may not be an accurate indicator of future taxable income and dividend distributions.
 
Generally, the cumulative net income we report over the life of an asset will be the same for GAAP and tax purposes, although the timing of this income recognition over the life of the asset could be materially different.  Differences exist in the accounting for GAAP net income and REIT taxable income which can lead to significant variances in the amount and timing of when income and losses are recognized under these two measures.  Due to these differences, our reported GAAP financial results could materially differ from our determination of taxable income results, which impacts our dividend distribution requirements, and, therefore, our GAAP results may not be an accurate indicator of future taxable income and dividend distributions.
 
Accounting rules for certain of our transactions are highly complex and involve significant judgment and assumptions, and changes in accounting treatment may adversely affect our profitability and impact our financial results.

Accounting rules for mortgage loan sales and securitizations, valuations of financial instruments, investment consolidations and other aspects of our anticipated operations are highly complex and involve significant judgment and assumptions. These complexities could lead to a delay in preparation of financial information and the delivery of this information to our shareholders. Changes in accounting interpretations or assumptions could impact our financial statements and our ability to timely prepare our financial statements in a timely fashion. Our inability to timely prepare our financial statements in a timely fashion in the future would likely adversely affect our share price significantly.

The fair value at which our assets may be recorded may not be an indication of their realizable value. Ultimate realization of the value of an asset depends to a great extent on economic and other conditions.  Further, fair value is only an estimate based on good faith judgment of the price at which an investment can be sold since market prices of investments can only be determined by negotiation between a willing buyer and seller. If we were to liquidate a particular asset, the realized value may be more than or less than the amount at which such asset is valued. Accordingly, the value of our common shares could be adversely affected by our determinations regarding the fair value of our investments, whether in the applicable period or in the future. Additionally, such valuations may fluctuate over short periods of time.
 
 
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Our access to sources of financing may be limited and thus our ability to maximize our returns may be adversely affected.

Our financing sources may include borrowings in the form of bank credit facilities (including term loans and revolving facilities), repurchase agreements, warehouse facilities, structured financing arrangements, public and private equity and debt issuances and derivative instruments, in addition to transaction or asset specific funding arrangements. Our access to these, and other sources of financing will depend upon a number of factors over which we have little or no control, including:

 
·
general market conditions;
 
 
·
the market’s view of the quality of our assets;
 
 
·
the market’s perception of our growth potential;
 
 
·
our eligibility to participate in and access capital from programs established by the U.S. Government;
 
 
·
our current and potential future earnings and cash distributions; and
 
 
·
the market price of the shares of our capital stock.
 
The recent dislocation and weakness in the capital and credit markets could adversely affect one or more private lenders and could cause one or more of our private lenders to be unwilling or unable to provide us with financing or to increase the costs of that financing.  In addition, if regulatory capital requirements imposed on our private lenders change, they may be required to limit, or increase the cost of, financing they provide to us.  In general, this could potentially increase our financing costs and reduce our liquidity or require us to sell assets at an inopportune time or price.

Under current market conditions, some forms of structured financing arrangements are generally unavailable, which has also limited borrowings under warehouse and repurchase agreements that are intended to be refinanced by such financings.  Consequently, the execution of our strategy may be dictated by the cost and availability of financing.  Depending on market conditions at the relevant time, we may have to rely more heavily on additional equity issuances, which may be dilutive to our shareholders, or on less efficient forms of debt financing that require a larger portion of our cash flow from operations, thereby reducing funds available for our operations, future business opportunities, cash distributions to our shareholders and other purposes.  Furthermore, we could be forced to sell our assets at an inopportune time when prices are depressed. In addition, as a REIT, we are required to distribute annually at least 90% of our REIT taxable income to our shareholders and are therefore not able to retain significant amounts of our earnings for new acquisitions.  We cannot assure you that we will have access to such equity or debt capital on favorable terms (including, without limitation, cost and term) at the desired times, or at all, which may cause us to curtail our asset acquisition activities and/or dispose of assets, which could negatively affect our results of operations.
 
We may incur significant debt, which will subject us to increased risk of loss and may reduce cash available for distributions to our shareholders.

Subject to market conditions and availability, we may incur significant debt through bank credit facilities (including term loans and revolving facilities), repurchase agreements, warehouse facilities and structured financing arrangements, public and private debt issuances and derivative instruments, in addition to transaction or asset specific funding arrangements.  The percentage of leverage we employ will vary depending on our available capital, our ability to obtain and access financing arrangements with lenders and the lenders’ and rating agencies’ estimate of the stability of our investment portfolio’s cash flow. Our governing documents contain no limitation on the amount of debt we may incur.  We may significantly increase the amount of leverage we utilize at any time without approval of our board of directors.  In addition, we may leverage individual assets at substantially higher levels. Incurring substantial debt could subject us to many risks that, if realized, would materially and adversely affect us, including the risk that:
 
 
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·
our cash flow from operations may be insufficient to make required payments of principal of and interest on the debt or we may fail to comply with all of the other covenants contained in the debt, which is likely to result in (i) acceleration of such debt (and any other debt containing a cross-default or cross-acceleration provision) that we may be unable to repay from internal funds or to refinance on favorable terms, or at all, (ii) our inability to borrow unused amounts under our financing arrangements, even if we are current in payments on borrowings under those arrangements or (iii) the loss of some or all of our assets to foreclosure or sale;
 
 
·
our debt may increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions with no assurance that investment yields will increase with higher financing costs;
 
 
·
we may be required to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our debt, thereby reducing funds available for operations, future business opportunities, shareholder distributions or other purposes; and
 
 
·
we are not able to refinance debt that matures prior to the investment it was used to finance on favorable terms, or at all.
 
 
Interest rate fluctuations could significantly decrease our results of operations and cash flows and the market value of our assets.

Our primary interest rate exposures relate to the yield on our assets and the financing cost of our debt, as well as our interest rate swaps that we utilize for hedging purposes.  Changes in interest rates will affect our net interest income, which is the difference between the interest income we earn on our interest-earning assets and the interest expense we incur in financing these assets.  Interest rate fluctuations resulting in our interest expense exceeding interest income would result in operating losses for us.  Changes in the level of interest rates also may affect our ability to originate and acquire assets, the value of our assets and our ability to realize gains from the disposition of assets.  Changes in interest rates may also affect borrower default rates.  Our operating results depend in large part on differences between the income from our assets, net of credit losses, and our financing costs.  To the extent that our financing costs will be determined by reference to floating rates, such as LIBOR or a U.S. Treasury index, plus a margin, the amount of which will depend on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, (i) for collateralized debt, the value and liquidity of the collateral, and for non-collateralized debt, our credit, (ii) the level and movement of interest rates and (iii) general market conditions and liquidity.  In a period of rising interest rates, our interest expense on floating rate debt would increase, while any additional interest income we earn on our floating rate assets may not compensate for such increase in interest expense, the interest income we earn on our fixed rate assets would not change, the duration and weighted average life of our fixed rate assets would increase and the market value of our fixed rate assets would decrease.  Similarly, in a period of declining interest rates, our interest income on floating rate assets would decrease, while any decrease in the interest we are charged on our floating rate debt may not compensate for such decrease in interest income and interest we are charged on our fixed rate debt would not change.  We anticipate that for any period during which our assets are not match-funded, the income from such assets will respond more slowly to interest rate fluctuations than the cost of our borrowings. Consequently, changes in interest rates may significantly influence our net income. Increases in these rates will tend to decrease our net income and the market value of our fixed rate assets. Interest rate fluctuations resulting in our interest expense exceeding interest income would result in operating losses for us.  Any such scenario could materially and adversely affect us.  Our operating results will depend, in part, on differences between the income earned on our assets, net of credit losses, and our financing costs.
 
If we utilize non-recourse long-term securitizations, such structures may expose us to risks which could result in losses to us.

We may utilize non-recourse long-term securitizations of our assets in mortgage loans, especially loan originations, when they are available. Prior to any such financing, we may seek to finance assets with relatively short-term facilities until a sufficient portfolio is accumulated. As a result, we would be subject to the risk that we would not be able to acquire, during the period that any short-term facilities are available, sufficient eligible assets to maximize the efficiency of a securitization. We also would bear the risk that we would not be able to obtain new short-term facilities or would not be able to renew any short-term facilities after they expire should we need more time to seek and acquire sufficient eligible assets for a securitization.  In addition, conditions in the capital markets, including the recent unprecedented volatility and disruption in the capital and credit markets, may not permit a non-recourse securitization at any particular time or may make the issuance of any such securitization less attractive to us even when we do have sufficient eligible assets.  While we would intend to retain the unrated equity component of securitizations and, therefore, still have exposure to any assets included in such securitizations, our inability to enter into such securitizations would increase our overall exposure to risks associated with direct ownership of such assets, including the risk of default.  Our inability to refinance any short-term facilities would also increase our risk because borrowings thereunder would likely be recourse to us as an entity. If we are unable to obtain and renew short-term facilities or to consummate securitizations to finance our assets on a long-term basis, we may be required to seek other forms of potentially less attractive financing or to liquidate assets at an inopportune time or price.
 
 
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Any warehouse facilities that we may obtain in the future may limit our ability to acquire assets, and we may incur losses if the collateral is liquidated.

If securitization financings become available, we may utilize, if available, warehouse facilities pursuant to which we would accumulate commercial mortgage loans in anticipation of a securitization financing, which assets would be pledged as collateral for such facilities until the securitization transaction is consummated.  To borrow funds to acquire assets under any future warehouse facilities, we expect that our lenders thereunder would have the right to review the potential assets for which we are seeking financing.  We may be unable to obtain the consent of a lender to acquire assets that we believe would be beneficial to us and we may be unable to obtain alternate financing for such assets.  In addition, no assurance can be given that a securitization structure would be consummated with respect to the assets being warehoused.  If the securitization is not consummated, the lender could liquidate the warehoused collateral, and we would then have to pay any amount by which the original purchase price of the collateral assets exceeds its sale price, subject to negotiated caps, if any, on our exposure.  In addition, regardless of whether the securitization is consummated, if any of the warehoused collateral is sold before the consummation, we would have to bear any resulting loss on the sale.
 
Any repurchase agreements and bank credit facilities that we may use in the future to finance our assets may require us to provide additional collateral or pay down debt.

In the event we utilize such financing arrangements, they would involve the risk that the market value of the loans pledged or sold by us to the repurchase agreement counterparty or provider of the bank credit facility may decline in value, in which case the lender may require us to provide additional collateral or to repay all or a portion of the funds advanced. We may not have the funds available to repay our debt at that time, which would likely result in defaults unless we are able to raise the funds from alternative sources, which we may not be able to achieve on favorable terms or at all.  Posting additional collateral would reduce our liquidity and limit our ability to leverage our assets.  If we cannot meet these requirements, the lender could accelerate our indebtedness, increase the interest rate on advanced funds and terminate our ability to borrow funds from them, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and ability to implement our business plan. In addition, in the event that the lender files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, our loans may become subject to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, thus depriving us, at least temporarily, of the benefit of these assets.  Such an event could restrict our access to bank credit facilities and increase our cost of capital.  The providers of repurchase agreement financing and bank credit facilities may also require us to maintain a certain amount of cash or set aside assets sufficient to maintain a specified liquidity position that would allow us to satisfy our collateral obligations.  As a result, we may not be able to leverage our assets as fully as we would choose, which could reduce our return on assets. In the event that we are unable to meet these collateral obligations, our financial condition and prospects could deteriorate rapidly.
 
If the counterparty to a repurchase transaction defaults on its obligation to resell the underlying security back to us at the end of the transaction term, or if the value of the underlying security has declined as of the end of that term or if we default on our obligations under a repurchase agreement, we will lose money on that repurchase transaction.

If we engage in a repurchase transaction, we generally would sell securities to the transaction counterparty and receive cash from the counterparty. The counterparty would be obligated to resell the securities back to us at the end of the term of the transaction, which is typically 30 to 90 days. Because the cash we would receive from the counterparty when we initially sold the securities to the counterparty will be less than the value of those securities (this difference is referred to as the haircut), if the counterparty defaults on its obligation to resell the securities back to us we would incur a loss on the transaction equal to the amount of the haircut (assuming there was no change in the value of the securities).
 
 
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We would also lose money on a repurchase transaction if the value of the underlying securities has declined as of the end of the transaction term, as we would have to repurchase the securities for their initial value but would receive securities worth less than that amount. Any losses we incur on our repurchase transactions could adversely affect our earnings, and thus our cash available for distribution to you. If we default on one of our obligations under a repurchase transaction, the counterparty can terminate the transaction and cease entering into any other repurchase transactions with us. In that case, we would likely need to establish a replacement repurchase facility with another repurchase dealer in order to continue to leverage our portfolio and carry out our strategy. There is no assurance we would be able to establish a suitable replacement facility.
 
Our rights under repurchase agreements will be subject to the effects of the bankruptcy laws in the event of our or our lenders’ bankruptcy or insolvency under the repurchase agreements, which may allow our lenders to repudiate our repurchase agreements.

In the event of our insolvency or bankruptcy, certain repurchase agreements may qualify for special treatment under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, the effect of which, among other things, would be to allow the lender under the applicable repurchase agreement to avoid the automatic stay provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and to foreclose on the collateral agreement without delay. In the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of a lender during the term of a repurchase agreement, the lender may be permitted, under applicable insolvency laws, to repudiate the contract, and our claim against the lender for damages may be treated simply as an unsecured creditor. In addition, if the lender is a broker or dealer subject to the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, or an insured depository institution subject to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, our ability to exercise our rights to recover our securities under a repurchase agreement or to be compensated for any damages resulting from the lender’s insolvency may be further limited by those statutes. These claims would be subject to significant delay and, if and when received, may be substantially less than the damages we actually incur.
 
An increase in our borrowing costs relative to the interest we will receive on our assets may adversely affect our profitability, and thus our cash available for distribution.

As repurchase agreements and other short-term borrowings that we may enter mature, we would be required either to enter into new borrowings or to sell certain of our assets. An increase in short-term interest rates at the time that we seek to enter into new borrowings would reduce the spread between our returns on our assets and the cost of our borrowings. This would adversely affect our returns on our assets that are subject to prepayment risk, including our mortgage-backed securities, which might reduce earnings and, in turn, cash available for distribution.
 
If we issue senior securities we will be exposed to additional risks, which may restrict our operating flexibility.

If we decide to issue senior securities in the future, it is likely that they will be governed by an indenture or other instrument containing covenants restricting our operating flexibility. Additionally, any convertible or exchangeable securities that we issue in the future may have rights, preferences and privileges more favorable than those of our common stock and may result in dilution to owners of our common stock. We will bear the cost of issuing and servicing such securities.
 
Securitizations would expose us to additional risks.

In a securitization structure, we would convey a pool of assets to a special purpose vehicle, the issuing entity, and the issuing entity would issue one or more classes of non-recourse notes pursuant to the terms of an indenture. The notes would be secured by the pool of assets. In exchange for the transfer of assets to the issuing entity, we would receive the cash proceeds of the sale of non-recourse notes and a 100% interest in the equity of the issuing entity. The securitization of our portfolio might magnify our exposure to losses because any equity interest we retain in the issuing entity would be subordinate to the notes issued to investors and we would, therefore, absorb all of the losses sustained with respect to a securitized pool of assets before the owners of the notes experience any losses. Moreover, we cannot be assured that we will be able to access the securitization market or be able to do so at favorable rates. The inability to securitize our portfolio could hurt our performance and our ability to grow our business.
 
 
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Lenders may require us to enter into restrictive covenants relating to our operations that may inhibit our ability to grow our business and increase revenues.

If or when we obtain debt financing, lenders (especially in the case of bank credit facilities) may impose restrictions on us that would affect our ability to incur additional debt, make certain allocations or acquisitions, reduce liquidity below certain levels, make distributions to our shareholders, redeem debt or equity securities and impact our flexibility to determine our operating policies and strategies.  For example, our loan documents may contain negative covenants that limit, among other things, our ability to repurchase our common shares, distribute more than a certain amount of our net income or funds from operations to our shareholders, employ leverage beyond certain amounts, sell assets, engage in mergers or consolidations, grant liens, and enter into transactions with affiliates.  If we fail to meet or satisfy any of these covenants, we would be in default under these agreements, and our lenders could elect to declare outstanding amounts due and payable, terminate their commitments, require the posting of additional collateral and enforce their interests against existing collateral.  We may also be subject to cross-default and acceleration rights and, with respect to collateralized debt, the posting of additional collateral and foreclosure rights upon default.  Furthermore, this could also make it difficult for us to satisfy the qualification requirements necessary to maintain our status as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  A default and resulting repayment acceleration could significantly reduce our liquidity, which could require us to sell our assets to repay amounts due and outstanding. This could also significantly harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to make distributions, which could cause the value of our capital stock to decline. A default could also significantly limit our financing alternatives such that we would be unable to pursue our leverage strategy, which could adversely affect our returns.

Our assets may become non-performing and sub-performing assets in the future, which are subject to increased risks relative to performing loans.

Our assets may become non-performing and sub-performing assets, which are subject to increased risks relative to performing assets. Loans may become non-performing or sub-performing for a variety of reasons, such as the underlying property being too highly leveraged, decreasing income generated from the underlying property, or the financial distress of the borrower, in each case, that results in the borrower being unable to meet its debt service and/or repayment obligations. Such non-performing or sub-performing assets may require a substantial amount of workout negotiations and/or restructuring, which may involve substantial cost and divert the attention of our Manager and management from other activities and entail, among other things, a substantial reduction in interest rate, the capitalization of interest payments and a substantial write-down of the principal of the loan. Even if a restructuring were successfully accomplished, the borrower may not be able or willing to maintain the restructured payments or refinance the restructured mortgage upon maturity.

From time to time we find it necessary or desirable to foreclose on some, if not many, of the loans we acquire, and the foreclosure process may be lengthy and expensive. Borrowers may resist foreclosure actions by asserting numerous claims, counterclaims and defenses to payment against us (such as lender liability claims and defenses) even when such assertions may have no basis in fact or law, in an effort to prolong the foreclosure action and force the lender into a modification of the loan or a favorable buy-out of the borrower’s position. In some states, foreclosure actions can take several years or more to litigate. At any time prior to or during the foreclosure proceedings, the borrower may file for bankruptcy, which would have the effect of staying the foreclosure actions and further delaying the resolution of our claims. Foreclosure may create a negative public perception of the related property, resulting in a diminution of its value. Even if we are successful in foreclosing on a loan, the liquidation proceeds upon sale of the underlying real estate may not be sufficient to recover our cost basis in the loan, resulting in a loss to us. Furthermore, any costs or delays involved in the foreclosure of a loan or a liquidation of the underlying property will further reduce the proceeds and thus increase our loss. Any such reductions could materially and adversely affect the value of the commercial loans in which we invest.

Whether or not our Manager has participated in the negotiation of the terms of a mortgage, there can be no assurance as to the adequacy of the protection of the terms of the loan, including the validity or enforceability of the loan and the maintenance of the anticipated priority and perfection of the applicable security interests. Furthermore, claims may be asserted that might interfere with enforcement of our rights. In the event of a foreclosure, we may assume direct ownership of the underlying real estate. The liquidation proceeds upon sale of that real estate may not be sufficient to recover our cost basis in the loan, resulting in a loss to us. Any costs or delays involved in the effectuation of a foreclosure of the loan or a liquidation of the underlying property will further reduce the proceeds and increase our loss.
 
 
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Whole loan mortgages are also subject to “special hazard” risk (property damage caused by hazards, such as earthquakes or environmental hazards, not covered by standard property insurance policies), and to bankruptcy risk (reduction in a borrower’s mortgage debt by a bankruptcy court). In addition, claims may be assessed against us on account of our position as mortgage holder or property owner, including responsibility for tax payments, environmental hazards and other liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.

When we foreclose on an asset, we may come to own and operate the property securing the loan, which would expose us to the risks inherent in that activity.

When we foreclose on an asset, we may take title to the property securing that asset, and if we do not or cannot sell the property, we would then come to own and operate it as “real estate owned.” Owning and operating real property involves risks that are different (and in many ways more significant) than the risks faced in owning an asset secured by that property. In addition, we may end up owning a property that we would not otherwise have decided to acquire directly at the price of our original investment or at all. Further, some of the property underlying the assets we are acquiring is of a different type or class than property our Manager has had experience owning directly, including properties such as hotels. Accordingly, we may not manage these properties as well as they might be managed by another owner, and our returns to investors could suffer.  If we foreclose on and come to own property, our financial performance and returns to investors could suffer.

Computer malware, viruses, hacking and phishing attacks, and spamming could harm our business and results of operations.
 
Computer malware, viruses, and computer hacking and phishing attacks have become more prevalent in our industry and may occur on our systems in the future.  We rely heavily on our financial, accounting and other data processing systems.  Though it is difficult to determine what, if any, harm may directly result from any specific interruption or attack or any failure to maintain performance, reliability and security of our technical infrastructure.  As a result any such computer malware, viruses, and computer hacking and phishing attacks may harm our operations.
 
Compliance with proposed and recently enacted changes in securities laws and regulations increases our costs.
 
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC and the New York Stock Exchange have increased the scope, complexity and cost of corporate governance, reporting and disclosure practices.  We believe that these rules and regulations will make it more costly for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage.  These rules and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of management and our board of directors, particularly to serve on our audit committee.
 
The Dodd-Frank Act contains many regulatory changes and calls for future rulemaking that may affect our business, including, but not limited to  resolutions involving derivatives, risk-retention in securitizations and short-term financings.  We are evaluating, and will continue to evaluate the potential impact of regulatory change under the Dodd-Frank Act.
 
Risks Related to Our Net Lease Investment Business

We may be unable to obtain debt or equity capital on favorable terms, if at all.

We may be unable to obtain capital on favorable terms, if at all, to further our net lease business objectives or meet our existing obligations. Capital that may be available may be materially more expensive or available under terms that are materially more restrictive than our existing capital which would have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
 
 
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Our use of debt to finance investments could adversely affect our cash flow.

We expect that certain of our net lease investments will be made by borrowing a portion of the total investment and securing the loan with a mortgage on the property. If we are unable to make our debt payments as required, a lender could foreclose on the property or properties securing its debt. This could cause us to lose part or all of our investment, which in turn could cause the value of our portfolio, and revenues available for distribution to our shareholders, to be reduced. We generally expect to borrow on a non-recourse basis to limit our exposure on any property to the amount of equity invested in the property.

Some of our financing may also require us to make a lump-sum or “balloon” payment at maturity. Our ability to make balloon payments on debt will depend upon our ability either to refinance the obligation when due, invest additional equity in the property or to sell the related property. When the balloon payment is due, we may be unable to refinance the balloon payment on terms as favorable as the original loan or sell the property at a price sufficient to make the balloon payment. Our ability to accomplish these goals will be affected by various factors existing at the relevant time, such as the state of the national and regional economies, local real estate conditions, available mortgage rates, our equity in the mortgaged properties, our financial condition, the operating history of the mortgaged properties and tax laws. A refinancing or sale could affect the rate of return to shareholders.

Loss of revenues from tenants would reduce our cash flow.

The default, financial distress, bankruptcy or liquidation of one or more of our tenants could cause substantial vacancies in our investment portfolio. In addition, if any of our properties were to be occupied by a single tenant, the success of our investment would be materially dependent on the financial stability of the tenant.

Lease payment defaults by tenants will negatively impact our net income and reduce the amounts available for distributions to shareholders. As our tenants generally may not have a recognized credit rating, they may have a higher risk of lease defaults than if our tenants had a recognized credit rating. In addition, the bankruptcy of a tenant could cause the loss of lease payments as well as an increase in the costs incurred to carry the property until it can be re-leased or sold. In the event of a default, we may experience delays in enforcing our rights as landlord and may incur substantial costs in protecting the investment and re-leasing the property. If a lease is terminated, there is no assurance that we will be able to re-lease the property for the rent previously received or sell the property without incurring a loss.

Our leases may permit tenants to purchase a property at a predetermined price, which could limit our realization of any appreciation or result in a loss.

In some circumstances, we may grant tenants a right to repurchase the property they lease from us. The purchase price may be a fixed price or it may be based on a formula or the market value at the time of exercise. If a tenant exercises its right to purchase the property and the property’s market value has increased beyond that price, we could be limited in fully realizing the appreciation on that property. Additionally, if the price at which the tenant can purchase the property is less than our purchase price or carrying value (for example, where the purchase price is based on an appraised value), we may incur a loss.
 
Lease expirations, lease defaults and lease terminations may adversely affect our revenue.

Lease expirations and lease terminations may result in reduced revenues if the lease payments received from replacement tenants are less than the lease payments received from the expiring or terminating tenants.  In addition, lease defaults or lease terminations by one or more significant tenants or the failure of tenants under expiring leases to elect to renew their leases, could cause us to experience long periods of vacancy with no revenue from a facility and to incur substantial capital expenditures and/or lease concessions to obtain replacement tenants.

We will not fully control the management of our properties.

The tenants or managers of net leased properties will be responsible for maintenance and other day-to-day management of the properties. If a property is not adequately maintained in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease, we may incur expenses for deferred maintenance expenditures or other liabilities once the property becomes free of the lease. While we expect that our leases generally will provide for recourse against the tenant in these instances, a bankrupt or financially troubled tenant may be more likely to defer maintenance and it may be more difficult to enforce remedies against such a tenant. In addition, to the extent tenants are unable to conduct their operation of the property on a financially successful basis, their ability to pay rent may be adversely affected. Although we endeavor to monitor, on an ongoing basis, compliance by tenants with their lease obligations and other factors that could affect the financial performance of our properties, such monitoring may not in all circumstances ascertain or forestall deterioration either in the condition of a property or the financial circumstances of a tenant.
 
 
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A significant portion of commercial real properties’ annual base rent may be heavily concentrated in specific industry classifications, tenants and in specific geographic locations.

Our commercial real properties’ annual base rent may be heavily concentrated in specific industry classifications, tenants and in specific geographic locations.  Any financial hardship and/or economic changes in these lines of trade, tenants or states could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

The value of our real estate will be subject to fluctuation.

We will be subject to all of the general risks associated with the ownership of real estate. While the revenues from our leases are not directly dependent upon the value of the real estate owned, significant declines in real estate values could adversely affect us in many ways, including a decline in the residual values of properties at lease expiration; possible lease abandonments by tenants; a decline in the attractiveness of our portfolio that may impede our ability to raise new funds for investment and a decline in the attractiveness of triple-net lease transactions to potential sellers. We also face the risk that lease revenue will be insufficient to cover all corporate operating expenses and debt service payments on indebtedness we incur. General risks associated with the ownership of real estate include:

 
·
Adverse changes in general or local economic conditions;

 
·
Changes in the supply of or demand for similar or competing properties;

 
·
Changes in interest rates and operating expenses;

 
·
Competition for tenants;

 
·
Changes in market rental rates;

 
·
Inability to lease or sell properties upon termination of existing leases;

 
·
Renewal of leases at lower rental rates;

 
·
Inability to collect rents from tenants due to financial hardship, including bankruptcy;

 
·
Changes in tax, real estate, zoning and environmental laws that may have an adverse impact upon the value of real estate;

 
·
Uninsured property liability, property damage or casualty losses;

 
·
Unexpected expenditures for capital improvements or to bring properties into compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws; and

 
·
Acts of God and other factors beyond the control of our management.
 
 
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International investments involve additional risks.

We may invest in properties located outside the U.S. These investments may be affected by factors particular to the laws of the jurisdiction in which the property is located. These investments may expose us to risks that are different from and in addition to those commonly found in the U.S., including:

 
·
Foreign currency risk due to potential fluctuations in exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar;

 
·
Changing governmental rules and policies;

 
·
Enactment of laws relating to the foreign ownership of property and laws relating to the ability of foreign entities to remove invested capital or profits earned from activities within the country to the United States;

 
·
Expropriation;

 
·
Legal systems under which the ability to enforce contractual rights and remedies may be more limited than would be the case under U.S. law;

 
·
The difficulty in conforming obligations in other countries and the burden of complying with a wide variety of foreign laws;

 
·
Adverse market conditions caused by changes in national or local economic or political conditions;

 
·
Tax requirements vary by country and we may be subject to additional taxes as a result of our international investments;

 
·
Changes in relative interest rates;

 
·
Changes in the availability, cost and terms of mortgage funds resulting from varying national economic policies;

 
·
Changes in real estate and other tax rates and other operating expenses in particular countries;

 
·
Changes in land use and zoning laws; and

 
·
More stringent environmental laws or changes in such laws.
 
Also, we may rely on third-party asset managers in international jurisdictions to monitor compliance with legal requirements and lending agreements with respect to properties we own or manage. Failure to comply with applicable requirements may expose us or our operating subsidiaries to additional liabilities.

Our real estate investments will be illiquid.

Because real estate investments are relatively illiquid, our ability to adjust the portfolio promptly in response to economic or other conditions will be limited. Certain significant expenditures generally do not change in response to economic or other conditions, including: (i) debt service (if any), (ii) real estate taxes, and (iii) operating and maintenance costs. This combination of variable revenue and relatively fixed expenditures may result, under certain market conditions, in reduced earnings and could have an adverse effect on our financial condition.

We may not be able to dispose of properties consistent with our operating strategy.

We may be unable to sell properties targeted for disposition due to adverse market conditions. This may adversely affect, among other things, our ability to sell under favorable terms, execute our operating strategy, achieve target earnings or returns, retire or repay debt or pay dividends.

 
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Certain provisions of our leases or loan agreements may be unenforceable.

Our rights and obligations with respect to our leases, structured finance loans, mortgage loans or other loans are governed by written agreements. A court could determine that one or more provisions of such an agreement are unenforceable, such as a particular remedy, a loan prepayment provision or a provision governing our security interest in the underlying collateral of a borrower or lessee. We could be adversely impacted if this were to happen with respect to an asset or group of assets.

Property ownership through joint ventures and partnerships could limit our control of those investments.

Joint ventures or partnerships involve risks not otherwise present for direct investments by us. It is possible that our co-venturers or partners may have different interests or goals than us at any time and they may take actions contrary to our requests, policies or objectives, including our policy with respect to maintaining our qualification as a REIT. Other risks of joint venture or partnership investments include impasses on decisions because in some instances no single co-venturer or partner has full control over the joint venture or partnership, respectively, or the co-venturer or partner may become insolvent, bankrupt or otherwise unable to contribute to the joint venture or partnership, respectively. Further, disputes may develop with a co-venturer or partner over decisions affecting the property, joint venture or partnership that may result in litigation, arbitration or some other form of dispute resolution.

Competition with numerous other REITs, commercial developers, real estate limited partnerships and other investors may impede our ability to grow.

We may not be in a position or have the opportunity in the future to complete suitable property acquisitions or developments on advantageous terms due to competition for such properties with others engaged in real estate investment activities. Our inability to successfully acquire or develop new properties may affect our ability to achieve anticipated return on investment or realize its investment strategy, which could have an adverse effect on its results of operations.
 
 
Uninsured losses may adversely affect our ability to pay outstanding indebtedness.

Our properties will generally be covered by comprehensive liability, fire, and extended insurance coverage. We intend that the insurance carried on our properties will be adequate in accordance with industry standards. There are, however, types of losses (such as from hurricanes, wars or earthquakes) which may be uninsurable, or the cost of insuring against these losses may not be economically justifiable. If an uninsured loss occurs or a loss exceeds policy limits, we could lose both our invested capital and anticipated revenues from the property, thereby reducing our cash flow.

Vacant properties or bankrupt tenants could adversely affect our business or financial condition.

We may periodically own vacant un-leased investment properties.  While we intend to actively market these properties for sale or lease, we may not be able to sell or lease these properties on favorable terms or at all. The lost revenues and increased property expenses resulting from the rejection by any bankrupt tenant of any of their respective leases with us could have a material adverse effect on the liquidity and results of operations of us if we are unable to re-lease the investment properties at comparable rental rates and in a timely manner.

Changes in accounting pronouncements could adversely impact us or our tenants’ reported financial performance.

Accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. From time to time the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or FASB) and the Securities and Commission (or SEC), who create and interpret appropriate accounting standards, may change the financial accounting and reporting standards or their interpretation and application of these standards that govern the preparation of our financial statements. These changes could have a material impact on our reported financial condition and results of operations. In some cases, we could be required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively, resulting in restating prior period financial statements. Similarly, these changes could have a material impact on our tenants’ reported financial condition or results of operations and affect their preferences regarding leasing real estate.
 
 
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A potential change in U.S. accounting standards regarding operating leases may make the leasing of facilities less attractive to our potential domestic tenants, which could reduce overall demand for our leasing services.

Under current authoritative accounting guidance for leases, a lease is classified by a tenant as a capital lease if the significant risks and rewards of ownership are considered to reside with the tenant. This situation is considered to be met if, among other things, the non-cancellable lease term is more than 75% of the useful life of the asset or if the present value of the minimum lease payments equals 90% or more of the leased property’s fair value. Under capital lease accounting for a tenant, both the leased asset and liability are reflected on their balance sheet. If the lease does not meet any of the criteria for a capital lease, the lease is considered an operating lease by the tenant and the obligation does not appear on the tenant’s balance sheet; rather, the contractual future minimum payment obligations are only disclosed in the footnotes thereto. Thus, entering into an operating lease can appear to enhance a tenant’s balance sheet in comparison to direct ownership. In response to concerns caused by a 2005 SEC study that the current model does not have sufficient transparency, FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board conducted a joint project to re-evaluate lease accounting. In August 2010, the FASB issued a Proposed Accounting Standards Update titled “Leases,” providing its views on accounting for leases by both lessees and lessors. The FASB’s proposed guidance may require significant changes in how leases are accounted for by both lessees and lessors. As of the date of this filing, the FASB has not finalized its views on accounting for leases. Changes to the accounting guidance could affect our accounting for leases as well as that of our tenants. These changes may affect how the real estate leasing business is conducted both domestically and internationally. For example, if the accounting standards regarding the financial statement classification of operating leases are revised, then companies may be less willing to enter into leases in general or desire to enter into leases with shorter terms because the apparent benefits to their balance sheets could be reduced or eliminated. This in turn could make it more difficult for us to enter leases on terms we find favorable.

We are subject to possible liabilities relating to environmental matters.

We intend to own commercial real properties.  As a result we will be subject to the risk of liabilities under federal, state and local environmental laws. Some of these laws could impose the following on us:

 
·
Responsibility and liability for the cost of investigation and removal or remediation of hazardous substances released on our property, generally without regard to our knowledge of or responsibility for the presence of the contaminants;

 
·
Liability for the costs of investigation and removal or remediation of hazardous substances at disposal facilities for persons who arrange for the disposal or treatment of such substances;

 
·
Potential liability for common law claims by third parties based on damages and costs of environmental contaminants; and

 
·
Claims being made against us for inadequate due diligence.

Our costs of investigation, remediation or removal of hazardous or toxic substances, or for third-party claims for damages, may be substantial. The presence of hazardous or toxic substances at any of our properties, or the failure to properly remediate a contaminated property, could give rise to a lien in favor of the government for costs it may incur to address the contamination or otherwise adversely affect our ability to sell or lease the property or to borrow using the property as collateral. While we attempt to mitigate identified environmental risks by contractually requiring tenants to acknowledge their responsibility for complying with environmental laws and to assume liability for environmental matters, circumstances may arise in which a tenant fails, or is unable, to fulfill its contractual obligations. In addition, environmental liabilities, or costs or operating limitations imposed on a tenant to comply with environmental laws, could affect its ability to make rental payments to us. Also, and although we endeavor to avoid doing so, we may be required, in connection with any future divestitures of property, to provide buyers with indemnification against potential environmental liabilities.

 
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Risks Related to Hedging
 
We may enter into economic hedging transactions that could expose us to contingent liabilities in the future and adversely affect our financial condition.

Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, part of our strategy will involve entering into hedging transactions that could require us to fund cash payments in certain circumstances (such as the early termination of the hedging instrument caused by an event of default or other early termination event, or the decision by a counterparty to request margin securities it is contractually owed under the terms of the hedging instrument). These potential payments will be contingent liabilities and therefore may not appear in our financial statements.  The amount due would be equal to the unrealized loss of the open swap positions with the respective counterparty and could also include other fees and charges. These economic losses will be reflected in our results of operations, and our ability to fund these obligations will depend on the liquidity of our assets and access to capital at the time, and the need to fund these obligations could adversely impact our financial condition.
 
Hedging against interest rate exposure may adversely affect our earnings, which could reduce our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.

Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, we may pursue various hedging strategies to seek to reduce our exposure to adverse changes in interest rates. Our hedging activity will vary in scope based on the level and volatility of interest rates, the type of assets held and liabilities incurred and other changing market conditions. Interest rate hedging may fail to protect or could adversely affect us because, among other things:

 
·
interest rate hedging can be expensive, particularly during periods of rising and volatile interest rates;
 
 
·
available interest rate hedges may not correspond directly with the interest rate risk for which protection is sought;
 
 
·
due to a credit loss, the duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the related liability;
 
 
·
the amount of income that a REIT may earn from hedging transactions (other than hedging transactions that satisfy certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code or that are done through a TRS) to offset interest rate losses is limited by U.S. federal tax provisions governing REITs;
 
 
·
the credit quality of the hedging counterparty owing money on the hedge may be downgraded to such an extent that it impairs our ability to sell or assign our side of the hedging transaction; and
 
 
·
the hedging counterparty owing money in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay.
 
Hedging transactions, which are intended to limit losses, may actually limit gains and increase our exposure to losses. As a result, hedging activity may adversely affect our earnings, which could reduce our cash available for distribution. In addition, hedging instruments involve risk since they often are not traded on regulated exchanges, guaranteed by an exchange or its clearing house, or regulated by any U.S. or foreign governmental authorities. Consequently, there are no requirements with respect to record keeping, financial responsibility or segregation of customer funds and positions. Furthermore, the enforceability of agreements underlying derivative transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory and commodity and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the identity of the counterparty, applicable international requirements. The business failure of a hedging counterparty with whom we enter into a hedging transaction will most likely result in its default. Default by a party with whom we enter into a hedging transaction may result in the loss of unrealized profits and force us to cover our commitments, if any, at the then current market price. Although generally we will seek to reserve the right to terminate our hedging positions, it may not always be possible to dispose of or close out a hedging position without the consent of the hedging counterparty, and we may not be able to enter into an offsetting contract in order to cover our risk. We cannot assure you that a liquid secondary market will exist for hedging instruments purchased or sold, and we may be required to maintain a position until exercise or expiration, which could result in losses.
 
 
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In addition, we may fail to recalculate, readjust and execute hedges in an efficient manner.

Any hedging activity in which we engage may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows.  Therefore, while we may enter into such transactions seeking to reduce interest rate risks, unanticipated changes in interest rates may result in poorer overall performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions or liabilities being hedged may vary materially.  Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we may not seek to establish a perfect correlation between such hedging instruments and the portfolio positions or liabilities being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation may prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss.
 
Hedging instruments often are not traded on regulated exchanges, guaranteed by an exchange or its clearing house, or regulated by any U.S. or foreign governmental authorities and involves risks and costs that could result in material losses.

The cost of using hedging instruments increases as the period covered by the instrument increases and during periods of rising and volatile interest rates, we may increase our hedging activity and thus increase our hedging costs during periods when interest rates are volatile or rising and hedging costs have increased. In addition, hedging instruments involve risk since they often are not traded on regulated exchanges, guaranteed by an exchange or its clearing house, or regulated by any U.S. or foreign governmental authorities. Consequently, there are no requirements with respect to record keeping, financial responsibility or segregation of customer funds and positions. Furthermore, the enforceability of agreements underlying hedging transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory and commodity and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the identity of the counterparty, applicable international requirements.  The business failure of a hedging counterparty with whom we enter into a hedging transaction will most likely result in its default. Default by a party with whom we enter into a hedging transaction may result in the loss of unrealized profits and force us to cover our commitments, if any, at the then current market price.  Although generally we will seek to reserve the right to terminate our hedging positions, it may not always be possible to dispose of or close out a hedging position without the consent of the hedging counterparty, and we may not be able to enter into an offsetting contract in order to cover our risk.  We cannot assure you that a liquid secondary market will exist for hedging instruments purchased or sold, and we may be required to maintain a position until exercise or expiration, which could result in significant losses.
 
Risks Related To Our Common Stock
 
Annaly owns a significant percentage of our common stock, and may vote its shares on matters submitted to the vote of our stockholders.

As of December 31, 2012, Annaly owned approximately 12.4% of our outstanding shares of common stock.  The interests of Annaly may conflict with, or differ from, the interests of other holders of our capital stock. Annaly may vote its shares on all our corporate decisions submitted to our stockholders for approval, regardless of whether or not we terminate the management agreement with our Manager.
 
 
The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations.

The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations.  Some of the factors that could negatively affect our share price include:

 
·
the price at which Annaly has agreed to offer for shares of our common stock that it does not own pursuant to the Merger Agreement (and any termination of the Merger Agreement or the failure to consummate the Merger);
 
 
·
our actual or projected operating results, financial condition, cash flows and liquidity, or changes in business strategy or prospects;
 
 
·
actual or perceived conflicts of interest with our Manager and individuals, including our executives;
 
 
·
equity issuances by us, or share resales by our stockholders, or the perception that such issuances or resales may occur;
 
 
·
actual or anticipated accounting problems;
 
 
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·
publication of research reports about us or the real estate industry;
 
 
·
changes in market valuations of similar companies;
 
 
·
adverse market reaction to any increased indebtedness we incur in the future;
 
 
·
additions to or departures of our Manager’s or Annaly’s key personnel;
 
 
·
actions by stockholders;
 
 
·
speculation in the press or investment community;
 
 
·
our failure to meet, or the lowering of, our earnings’ estimates or those of any securities analysts;
 
 
·
increases in market interest rates, which may lead investors to demand a higher distribution yield for our common stock, if we have begun to make distributions to our stockholders, and would result in increased interest expenses on our debt;
 
 
·
failure to maintain our REIT qualification or exemption from the 1940 Act;
 
 
·
price and volume fluctuations in the stock market generally; and
 
 
·
general market and economic conditions, including the current state of the credit and capital markets.
 
Market factors unrelated to our performance could also negatively impact the market price of our common stock. One of the factors that investors may consider in deciding whether to buy or sell our common stock is our distribution rate as a percentage of our stock price relative to market interest rates. If market interest rates increase, prospective investors may demand a higher distribution rate or seek alternative investments paying higher dividends or interest. As a result, interest rate fluctuations and conditions in the capital markets can affect the market value of our common stock. For instance, if interest rates rise, it is likely that the market price of our common stock will decrease as market rates on interest-bearing securities increase.
 
Common stock eligible for future sale may have adverse effects on our share price.

We cannot predict the effect, if any, of future sales of our common stock, or the availability of shares for future sales, on the market price of the common stock.  If an active trading market develops for our common stock, the market price of our common stock may decline significantly when the restrictions on re-sale (or lock-up agreement) by certain of our stockholders lapse.  Sales of substantial amounts of common stock, or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect the prevailing market price for our common stock.

Also, we may issue additional shares of our common stock in subsequent public offerings or private placements to acquire new assets or for other purposes.  We are not required to offer any such shares to our current stockholders on a preemptive basis.  Therefore, it may not be possible for existing stockholders to participate in such future share issuances which may dilute their interests in us.
 
There is a risk that you may not receive distributions or that distributions may not grow over time.

We intend to make distributions on a quarterly basis out of assets legally available therefore to our stockholders in amounts such that all or substantially all of our REIT taxable income in each year is distributed.  We have not established a minimum distribution payment level and our ability to pay distributions may be adversely affected by a number of factors, including the risk factors described in this annual report.  All distributions will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our earnings, our financial condition, maintenance of our REIT status and other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant from time to time.  Among the factors that could adversely affect our results of operations and impair our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders are:
 
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·
the profitability of the assets we purchase:
 
 
·
our ability to make profitable asset acquisitions;
 
 
·
margin calls or other expenses that reduce our cash flow;
 
 
·
defaults in our asset portfolio or decreases in the value of our portfolio; and
 
 
·
the fact that anticipated operating expense levels may not provide accurate, as actual results may vary from estimates.
 
A change in any one of these factors could affect our ability to make distributions.  We cannot assure you that we will achieve results that will allow us to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions.
 
Market interest rates may have an effect on the trading value of our shares.

One of the factors that investors may consider in deciding whether to buy or sell our shares is our distribution rate as a percentage of our share price relative to market interest rates.  If market interest rates increase, prospective investors may demand a higher distribution rate or seek alternative investments paying higher dividends or interest.  As a result, interest rate fluctuations and capital market conditions can affect the market value of our shares.  For instance, if interest rates rise, it is likely that the market price of our shares will decrease as market rates on interest-bearing securities, such as bonds, increase.
 
Investing in our shares may involve a high degree of risk and may result in a loss of principal.

The assets we purchase in accordance with our objectives may result in a high amount of risk when compared to alternative asset acquisition options and volatility or loss of principal.  Our investments may be highly speculative and aggressive, are subject to credit, interest and market value risks, among other things, and therefore an investment in our shares may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.
 
Broad market fluctuations could negatively impact the market price of our common stock.

The stock market has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected the market price of many companies in industries similar or related to ours and that have been unrelated to these companies’ operating performances.  These broad market fluctuations could reduce the market price of our common stock.  Furthermore, our operating results and prospects may be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors or may be lower than those of companies with comparable market capitalizations, which could lead to a material decline in the market price of our common stock.
 
Future sales of shares may have adverse consequences for investors.

We may issue additional shares in public offerings or private placements to make new asset purchases or for other purposes.  We are not required to offer any such shares to existing stockholders on a pre-emptive basis.  Therefore, it may not be possible for existing stockholders to participate in such future share issues, which may dilute the existing stockholders’ interests in us.  Additional shares may be issued pursuant to the terms of the underwriters’ option, which, if issued, would dilute stockholders’ percentage ownership in us.  If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares to cover overallotments, the issuance of additional shares by us, or the possibility of such issue, may cause the market price of the shares to decline.
 
Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure
 
Our charter and bylaws contain provisions that may inhibit potential acquisition bids that you and other stockholders may consider favorable, and the market price of our common stock may be lower as a result.

 
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Our charter and bylaws contain provisions that may have an anti-takeover effect and inhibit a change in our board of directors.  These provisions include the following:

 
·
There are ownership limits and restrictions on transferability and ownership in our charter.  To qualify as a REIT for each taxable year after 2009, not more than 50% of the value of our outstanding stock may be owned, directly or constructively, by five or fewer individuals during the second half of any taxable year.  In addition, our shares must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year for each taxable year after 2009.  To assist us in satisfying these tests, our charter generally prohibits any person from beneficially or constructively owning more than 9.8% in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of any class or series of our outstanding capital stock.  These restrictions may discourage a tender offer or other transactions or a change in the composition of our board of directors or control that might involve a premium price for our shares or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders and any shares issued or transferred in violation of such restrictions being automatically transferred to a trust for a charitable beneficiary, thereby resulting in a forfeiture of the additional shares.
 
 
·
Our charter permits our board of directors to issue stock with terms that may discourage a third party from acquiring us.  Our charter permits our board of directors to amend the charter without stockholder approval to increase the total number of authorized shares of stock or the number of shares of any class or series and to issue common or preferred stock, having preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications, or terms or conditions of redemption as determined by our board of directors.  Thus, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction in which holders of some or a majority of our shares might receive a premium for their shares over the then-prevailing market price of our shares.
 
 
·
Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act.  Maryland law provides that “control shares” of a corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” will have no voting rights except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes eligible to be cast on the matter under the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act.
 
If voting rights or control shares acquired in a control share acquisition are not approved at a stockholders’ meeting, or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the issuer may redeem any or all of the control shares for fair value.  If voting rights of such control shares are approved at a stockholders’ meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights.  Our bylaws contain a provision exempting acquisitions of our shares from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act.  However, our board of directors may amend our bylaws in the future to repeal or modify this exemption, in which case any control shares of our company acquired in a control share acquisition will be subject to the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act.
 
 
·
Business Combinations.  Under Maryland law, “business combinations” between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder.  These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities.  An interested stockholder is defined as:
 
 
·
any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s shares; or
 
 
·
an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period before the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation.
 
 
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A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which such person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder.  However, in approving a transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board of directors.  After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
 
 
·
80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and
 
 
·
two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation, other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.
 
These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.
 
The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder.  Our board of directors has adopted a resolution which provides that any business combination between us and any other person is exempted from the provisions of the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act, provided that the business combination is first approved by the board of directors.  This resolution, however, may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any time.  If this resolution is repealed, or the board of directors does not otherwise approve a business combination, this statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.
 
 
·
Staggered board of directors.  Our board of directors is divided into three classes of directors.  Directors of each class are chosen for three-year terms upon the expiration of their current terms, and each year one class of directors is elected by the stockholders.  The staggered terms of our directors may reduce the possibility of a tender offer or an attempt at a change in control, even though a tender offer or change in control might be in the best interests of our stockholders.
 
 
·
Our charter and bylaws contain other possible anti-takeover provisions.  Our charter and bylaws contain other provisions that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us or the removal of existing directors and, as a result, could prevent our stockholders from being paid a premium for their common stock over the then-prevailing market price.
 
 
Our rights and the rights of our stockholders to take action against our directors and officers are limited, which could limit your recourse in the event of actions not in your best interests.

Under Maryland law generally, a director’s actions will be upheld if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith, in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in our best interests and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. In addition, our charter limits the liability of our directors and officers to us and our stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from:

 
·
actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services; or
 
 
·
a final judgment based upon a finding of active and deliberate dishonesty by the director or officer that was material to the cause of action adjudicated for which Maryland law prohibits such exemption from liability.
 

In addition, our charter authorizes us to obligate our company to indemnify our present and former directors and officers for actions taken by them in those capacities to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.  Our bylaws require us to indemnify each present or former director or officer, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party because of his or her service to us.  In addition, we may be obligated to fund the defense costs incurred by our directors and officers.

Our charter contains provisions that make removal of our directors difficult, which could make it difficult for our stockholders to effect changes to our management.

Our charter provides that a director may only be removed for cause upon the affirmative vote of holders of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors. Vacancies may be filled only by a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if less than a quorum. These requirements make it more difficult to change our management by removing and replacing directors and may prevent a change in control of our company that is in the best interests of our stockholders.
 
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Tax Risks
 
Your investment has various tax risks.
 
This summary of certain tax risks is limited to the U.S. federal tax risks addressed below.  Additional risks or issues may exist that are not addressed in this annual report and that could affect the U.S. federal tax treatment of us or our stockholders.
 
This annual report is not intended to be used and cannot be used by any stockholder to avoid penalties that may be imposed on stockholders under the Internal Revenue Code.
 
We strongly urge you to seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor concerning the effects of U.S. federal, state and local income tax law on an investment in our common stock and on your individual tax situation.
 
Complying with REIT requirements may cause us to forego otherwise attractive opportunities.
 
To qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we must continually satisfy various tests regarding the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts we distribute to our stockholders and the ownership of our stock.  To meet these tests, we may be required to forego investments we might otherwise make.  We may be required to make distributions to stockholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution.  Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our investment performance.
 
Complying with REIT requirements may force us to liquidate otherwise attractive investments.
 
To qualify as a REIT, we generally must ensure that at the end of each calendar quarter at least 75% of the value of our total assets consists of cash, cash items, government securities and qualified REIT real estate assets, including certain mortgage loans, CMBS and RMBS.  The remainder of our investment in securities (other than government securities and qualifying real estate assets) generally cannot include more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer or more than 10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer.  In addition, in general, no more than 5% of the value of our assets (other than government securities and qualifying real estate assets) can consist of the securities of any one issuer, and no more than 25% of the value of our total securities can be represented by securities of one or more TRSs.  If we fail to comply with these requirements at the end of any calendar quarter, we must correct the failure within 30 days after the end of such calendar quarter or qualify for certain statutory relief provisions to avoid losing our REIT status and suffering adverse tax consequences.  As a result, we may be required to liquidate from our portfolio otherwise attractive investments.  These actions could have the effect of reducing our income and amounts available for distribution to our stockholders.
 
Potential characterization of distributions or gain on sale may be treated as unrelated business taxable income to tax-exempt investors.
 
If (1) all or a portion of our assets are subject to the rules relating to taxable mortgage pools, (2) we are a “pension-held REIT,” (3) a tax-exempt stockholder has incurred debt to purchase or hold our common stock, or (4) the residual REMIC interests we buy generate “excess inclusion income,” then a portion of the distributions to and, in the case of a stockholder described in clause (3), gains realized on the sale of common stock by such tax-exempt stockholder may be subject to U.S. federal income tax as unrelated business taxable income under the Internal Revenue Code
 
Classification of a securitization or financing arrangement we enter into as a taxable mortgage pool could subject us or certain of our stockholders to increased taxation.
 
If we have borrowings with two or more maturities and, (1) those borrowings are secured by mortgages, CMBS or RMBS and (2) the payments made on the borrowings are related to the payments received on the underlying assets, then the borrowings and the pool of mortgages, CMBS or RMBS to which such borrowings relate may be classified as a taxable mortgage pool under the Internal Revenue Code.  If any part of our investments were to be treated as a taxable mortgage pool, then our REIT status would not be impaired, but a portion of the taxable income we recognize may, under regulations to be issued by the Treasury Department, be characterized as “excess inclusion” income and allocated among our stockholders to the extent of and generally in proportion to the distributions we make to each stockholder. Any excess inclusion income would:
 
 
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·
not be allowed to be offset by a stockholder’s net operating losses;
 
 
·
be subject to a tax as unrelated business income if a stockholder were a tax-exempt stockholder;
 
 
·
be subject to the application of U.S. federal income tax withholding at the maximum rate (without reduction for any otherwise applicable income tax treaty) with respect to amounts allocable to foreign stockholders; and
 
 
·
be taxable (at the highest corporate tax rate) to us, rather than to our stockholders, to the extent the excess inclusion income relates to stock held by disqualified organizations (generally, tax-exempt companies not subject to tax on unrelated business income, including governmental organizations).
 
Failure to qualify as a REIT would subject us to U.S. federal income tax, which would reduce the cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
 
We intend to operate in a manner that will cause us to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  However, the U.S. federal income tax laws governing REITs are extremely complex, and interpretations of the U.S. federal income tax laws governing qualification as a REIT are limited.  Qualifying as a REIT requires us to meet various tests regarding the nature of our assets and our income, the ownership of our outstanding stock, and the amount of our distributions on an ongoing basis.  While we intend to operate so that we will qualify as a REIT, given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs, the ongoing importance of factual determinations, including the tax treatment of certain investments we may make, and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, no assurance can be given that we will so qualify for any particular year.
 
If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any calendar year and we do not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, we would be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income.  We might need to borrow money or sell assets to pay that tax.  Our payment of income tax would decrease the amount of our income available for distribution to our stockholders.  Furthermore, if we fail to maintain our qualification as a REIT and we do not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, we no longer would be required to distribute substantially all of our REIT taxable income to our stockholders.  Unless our failure to qualify as a REIT were excused under federal tax laws, we would be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost.
 
Failure to make required distributions would subject us to tax, which would reduce the cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
 
To qualify as a REIT, we must distribute to our stockholders each calendar year at least 90% of our REIT taxable income.  To the extent that we satisfy the 90% distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income tax on our undistributed income.  In addition, we will incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which our distributions in any calendar year are less than the sum of:
 
 
·
85% of our REIT ordinary income for that year;
 
 
·
95% of our REIT capital gain net income for that year; and
 
 
·
any undistributed taxable income from prior years.
 
We intend to distribute our REIT taxable income to our stockholders in a manner that will satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid both corporate income tax and the 4% nondeductible excise tax.  However, there is no requirement that taxable REIT subsidiaries distribute their after-tax net income to their parent REIT or their stockholders.
 
Our taxable income may substantially exceed our net income as determined based on generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, because, for example, realized capital losses will be deducted in determining our GAAP net income, but may not be deductible in computing our taxable income.  In addition, we may acquire assets that generate taxable income in excess of economic income or in advance of the corresponding cash flow from the assets.  To the extent that we generate such non-cash taxable income in a taxable year, we may incur corporate income tax and the 4% nondeductible excise tax on that income if we do not distribute such income to stockholders in that year.  As a result of the foregoing, we may generate less cash flow than taxable income in a particular year.  In that event, we may be required to use cash reserves, incur debt, or liquidate non-cash assets at rates or at times that we regard as unfavorable to satisfy the distribution requirement and to avoid corporate income tax and the 4% nondeductible excise tax in that year.  Moreover, our ability to distribute cash may be limited by the financing agreements we enter into.
 
 
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Ownership limitations may restrict change of control or business combination opportunities in which our stockholders might receive a premium for their shares.
 
In order for us to qualify as a REIT for each taxable year after 2009, no more than 50% in value of our outstanding capital stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals during the last half of any calendar year.  “Individuals” for this purpose include natural persons, private foundations, some employee benefit plans and trusts, and some charitable trusts.  To preserve our REIT qualification, our charter generally prohibits any person from directly or indirectly owning more than 9.8% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of any class or series of the outstanding shares of our capital stock.
 
This ownership limitation could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction in which holders of our common stock might receive a premium for their shares over the then prevailing market price or which holders might believe to be otherwise in their best interests.
 
Our ownership of and relationship with any TRS which we may form or acquire will be limited, and a failure to comply with the limits would jeopardize our REIT status and may result in the application of a 100% excise tax.
 
A REIT may own up to 100% of the stock of one or more TRSs.  A TRS may earn income that would not be qualifying income if earned directly by the parent REIT.  Both the subsidiary and the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a TRS.  Overall, no more than 25% of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of stock or securities of one or more TRSs.  A domestic TRS will pay federal, state and local income tax at regular corporate rates on any income that it earns.  In addition, the TRS rules impose a 100% excise tax on certain transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis.
 
Any domestic TRS that we form would pay federal, state and local income tax on its taxable income, and its after-tax net income would be available for distribution to us but would not be required to be distributed to us.  We anticipate that the aggregate value of the TRS stock and securities owned by us will be less than 25% of the value of our total assets (including the TRS stock and securities).  Furthermore, we will monitor the value of our investments in our TRSs to ensure compliance with the rule that no more than 25% of the value of our assets may consist of TRS stock and securities (which is applied at the end of each calendar quarter).  In addition, we will scrutinize all of our transactions with taxable REIT subsidiaries to ensure that they are entered into on arm’s-length terms to avoid incurring the 100% excise tax described above.  There can be no assurance, however, that we will be able to comply with the 25% limitation discussed above or to avoid application of the 100% excise tax discussed above.
 
We could fail to qualify as a REIT or we could become subject to a penalty tax if income we recognize from certain investments that are treated or could be treated as equity interests in a foreign corporation exceeds 5% of our gross income in a taxable year.
 
We may acquire securities, such as subordinated interests in certain CRE CDO offerings, that are treated or could be treated for federal (and applicable state and local) corporate income tax purposes as equity interests in foreign corporations.  Categories of income that qualify for the 95% gross income test include dividends, interest and certain other enumerated classes of passive income.  Under certain circumstances, the U.S. federal income tax rules concerning controlled foreign corporations and passive foreign investment companies require that the owner of an equity interest in a foreign corporation include amounts in income without regard to the owner’s receipt of any distributions from the foreign corporation.  Amounts required to be included in income under those rules are technically neither actual dividends nor any of the other enumerated categories of passive income specified in the 95% gross income test.  Furthermore, there is no clear precedent with respect to the qualification of such income under the 95% gross income test.  Due to this uncertainty, we intend to limit our direct investment in securities that are or could be treated as equity interests in a foreign corporation such that the sum of the amounts we are required to include in income with respect to such securities and other amounts of non-qualifying income do not exceed 5% of our gross income.  We cannot assure you that we will be successful in this regard.  To avoid any risk of failing the 95% gross income test, we may be required to invest only indirectly, through a domestic TRS, in any securities that are or could be considered to be equity interests in a foreign corporation.  This, of course, will result in any income recognized from any such investment to be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the hands of the domestic TRS, which may, in turn, reduce our yield on the investment.
 
 
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Liquidation of our assets may jeopardize our REIT qualification.
 
To qualify as a REIT, we must comply with requirements regarding our assets and our sources of income.  If we are compelled to liquidate our investments to repay obligations to our lenders, we may be unable to comply with these requirements, ultimately jeopardizing our qualification as a REIT, or we may be subject to a 100% tax on any resultant gain if we sell assets in transactions that are considered to be prohibited transactions.
 
The tax on prohibited transactions will limit our ability to engage in transactions, including certain methods of securitizing mortgage loans that would be treated as sales for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
 
A REIT’s net income from prohibited transactions is subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, but including mortgage loans, held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. We might be subject to this tax if we sold or securitized our assets in a manner that was treated as a sale for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Therefore, to avoid the prohibited transactions tax, we may choose not to engage in certain sales of assets at the REIT level and may securitize assets only in transactions that are treated as financing transactions and not as sales for tax purposes even though such transactions may not be the optimal execution on a pre-tax basis.
 
We could avoid any prohibited transactions tax concerns by engaging in securitization transactions through a TRS, subject to certain limitations as described above.  To the extent that we engage in such activities through domestic TRSs, the income associated with such activities will be subject to federal (and applicable state and local) corporate income tax.
 
Characterization of the repurchase agreements we enter into to finance our investments as sales for tax purposes rather than as secured lending transactions would adversely affect our ability to qualify as a REIT.
 
We anticipate entering into several repurchase agreements with a number of counterparties to achieve our desired amount of leverage for the assets in which we invest.  When we enter into a repurchase agreement, we generally sell assets to our counterparty to the agreement and receive cash from the counterparty.  The counterparty is obligated to resell the assets back to us at the end of the term of the transaction, which is typically 30-90 days.  We believe that for U.S. federal income tax purposes we will be treated as the owner of the assets that are the subject of repurchase agreements and that the repurchase agreements will be treated as secured lending transactions notwithstanding that such agreements may transfer record ownership of the assets to the counterparty during the term of the agreement. It is possible, however, that the IRS could successfully assert that we did not own these assets during the term of the repurchase agreements, in which case we could fail to qualify as a REIT.
 
Complying with REIT requirements may limit our ability to hedge effectively.
 
The REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code substantially limit our ability to hedge our assets and related borrowings.  Our aggregate gross income from non-qualifying hedges, fees, and certain other non-qualifying sources cannot exceed 5% of our annual gross income.  As a result, we might have to limit our use of advantageous hedging techniques or implement those hedges through a TRS.  This could increase the cost of our hedging activities or expose us to greater risks associated with changes in interest rates than we would otherwise want to bear.
 
The failure of a mezzanine loan to qualify as a real estate asset could adversely affect our ability to qualify as a REIT or cause us to be subject to a penalty tax.
 
We may acquire mezzanine loans, for which the IRS has provided a safe harbor but not rules of substantive law.  Pursuant to the safe harbor, if a mezzanine loan meets certain requirements, it will be treated by the IRS as a real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests, and interest derived from the mezzanine loan will be treated as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the REIT 75% income test.  We may acquire mezzanine loans that do not meet all of the requirements of this safe harbor. In the event we own a mezzanine loan that does not meet the safe harbor, the IRS could challenge such loan’s treatment as a real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset and income tests and, if such a challenge were sustained, we could be subject to a penalty tax or could fail to qualify as a REIT.
 
Our investments in construction loans will require us to make estimates about the fair market value of land improvements that may be challenged by the IRS.
 
We may invest in construction loans, the interest from which will be qualifying income for purposes of the REIT income tests, provided that the loan value of the real property securing the construction loan is equal to or greater than the highest outstanding principal amount of the construction loan during any taxable year.  For purposes of construction loans, the loan value of the real property is the fair market value of the land plus the reasonably estimated cost of the improvements or developments (other than personal property) which will secure the loan and which are to be constructed from the proceeds of the loan.  There can be no assurance that the IRS would not challenge our estimate of the loan value of the real property.
 
 
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Dividends payable by REITs do not qualify for the reduced tax rates available for certain dividends.
 
Legislation enacted in 2003 generally reduces the maximum tax rate for dividends payable to domestic stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates from 38.6% to 15% (through 2012). Dividends payable by REITs, however, are generally not eligible for the reduced rates. Although this legislation does not adversely affect the taxation of REITs or dividends paid by REITs, the more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate dividends could cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in stock of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of the stock of REITs, including our common stock.

We may be required to report taxable income for certain investments in excess of the economic income we ultimately realize from them.
 
We may acquire CMBS or RMBS in the secondary market for less than their face amount. The discount at which such debt instruments are acquired may reflect doubts about their ultimate collectability rather than current market interest rates. The amount of such discount will nevertheless generally be treated as “market discount” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accrued market discount is reported as income when, and to the extent that, any payment of principal of the debt instrument is made. Payments on CMBS or RMBS are ordinarily made monthly, and consequently accrued market discount generally will have to be included in income each month as if the debt instrument were assured of ultimately being collected in full. If we collect less on the debt instrument than our purchase price plus the market discount we had previously reported as income, we may not be able to benefit from any offsetting loss deductions.
 
Similarly, some of the CMBS or RMBS that we acquire may have been issued with original issue discount. We will be required to report such original issue discount based on a constant yield method and will be taxed based on the assumption that all future projected payments due on such CMBS or RMBS will be made. If such CMBS or RMBS turns out not to be fully collectible, an offsetting loss deduction will become available only in the later year that uncollectibility is probable and we may not be able to benefit from any such loss deduction.
 
Finally, if any debt instruments, CMBS or RMBS acquired by us are delinquent as to mandatory principal and interest payments, or if payments with respect to a particular debt instrument are not made when due, we may nonetheless be required to continue to recognize the unpaid interest as taxable income as it accrues, despite doubt as to its ultimate collectibility. Similarly, we may be required to accrue interest income with respect to subordinate CMBS or RMBS at its stated rate regardless of whether corresponding cash payments are received or are ultimately collectible. In each case, while we would in general ultimately have an offsetting loss deduction available to us when such interest was determined to be uncollectible, the utility of that deduction could depend on our having taxable income in that later year or thereafter.
 
If we have significant amounts of non-cash taxable income, we may have to declare taxable stock dividends or make other non-cash distributions.
 
We currently intend to pay dividends in cash only, and not in common stock.  However, if for any taxable year, we have significant amounts of taxable income in excess of available cash flow, we may have to declare dividends in-kind.  We may distribute a portion of our dividends in the form of our common stock or in the form of our debt instruments.  In either event, you will be required to report dividend income as a result of such distributions even though we distributed no cash or only nominal amounts of cash to you.
 
Alternatively, we may distribute taxable dividends that are payable in cash and shares of our common stock at the election of each stockholder.  Under IRS Revenue Procedure 2009-15, up to 90% of any such taxable dividend for 2009 could be payable in our stock.  Taxable U.S. stockholders receiving such dividends will be required to include the full amount of the dividend as ordinary income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  As a result, a U.S. stockholder may be required to pay income taxes with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash dividends received.  If a U.S. stockholder sells the stock that it receives as a dividend in order to pay this tax, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of our stock at the time of the sale.  Furthermore, with respect to non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold U.S. tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that is payable in stock, and we may have to withhold or dispose of part of the shares in such distribution and use such withheld shares or the proceeds of such disposition to satisfy any withholding tax imposed.  In addition, if a significant number of our stockholders determine to sell shares of our common stock in order to pay taxes owed on dividends, it may put downward pressure on the trading price of our common stock.
 
 
50

 
 
Further, because Revenue Procedure 2009-15 applies only to taxable dividends payable in cash or stock in 2008 and 2009, it is unclear whether and to what extent we will be able to pay taxable dividends in cash and stock in later years.  Moreover, various tax aspects of such a taxable cash/stock dividend are uncertain and have not yet been addressed by the IRS.  No assurance can be given that the IRS will not impose additional requirements in the future with respect to taxable cash/stock dividends, including on a retroactive basis, or assert that the requirements for such taxable cash/stock dividends have not been met.

We may be subject to adverse legislative or regulatory tax changes that could reduce the market price of our common stock.
 
At any time, the U.S. federal income tax laws or regulations governing REITs or the administrative interpretations of those laws or regulations may be amended.  We cannot predict when or if any new U.S. federal income tax law, regulation or administrative interpretation, or any amendment to any existing U.S. federal income tax law, regulation or administrative interpretation, will be adopted, promulgated or become effective and any such law, regulation or interpretation may take effect retroactively.  We and our stockholders could be adversely affected by any such change in, or any new, U.S. federal income tax law, regulation or administrative interpretation.
 
Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments
 
     None.
 
Item 2.  Properties

Our executive and administrative office is located at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2902, New York, New York 10036, telephone (646) 829-0160. We share this office space with Annaly and FIDAC.
 
Please see the Schedule of Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation to our financial statements for a description of the real estate properties we owned as of December 31, 2012.
 
Item 3.  Legal Proceedings

We are not party to any material litigation or legal proceedings, or to the best of our knowledge, any threatened litigation or legal proceedings, which, in our opinion, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
 
Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosure

None.
 
 
51

 
 

Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock began trading publicly on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "CXS" on September 17, 2009.  As of February 15, 2013, we had 76,630,528 shares of common stock issued and outstanding which were held by approximately 13,106 beneficial holders. The following tables sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high, low, and closing sales prices per share of our common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange composite tape and the cash dividends declared per share of our common stock.
 
    Stock Prices
   
High
 
Low
 
Close
Quarter Ended December 31, 2012
 
$12.59
 
$10.84
 
$12.25
Quarter Ended September 30, 2012
 
$11.36
 
$10.00
 
$10.81
Quarter Ended June 30, 2012
 
$10.52
 
$9.53
 
$10.17
Quarter Ended March 31, 2012
 
$11.35
 
$10.27
 
$10.34
             
    Stock Prices
   
High
 
Low
 
Close
Quarter Ended December 31, 2011
 
$10.72
 
$8.30
 
$10.38
Quarter Ended September 30, 2011
 
$11.30
 
$8.43
 
$8.88
Quarter Ended June 30, 2011
 
$11.66
 
$10.26
 
$11.11
Quarter Ended March 31, 2011
 
$13.48
 
$11.40
 
$11.42
 
       
Common Dividends
Declared Per Share
         
Quarter Ended December 31, 2012
 
$ 0.32
Quarter Ended September 30, 2012
 
$ 0.32
Quarter Ended June 30, 2012
 
$ 0.27
Quarter Ended March 31, 2012
 
$ 0.27
         
Quarter Ended December 31, 2011
 
$ 0.35
Quarter Ended September 30, 2011
 
$ 0.30
Quarter Ended June 30, 2011
 
$ 0.25
Quarter Ended March 31, 2011
 
$ 0.23


We pay quarterly dividends and distribute to our stockholders substantially all of our taxable income in each year (subject to certain adjustments).  This enables us to qualify for the tax benefits accorded to REIT under the Code.   We have not established a minimum dividend payment level and our ability to pay dividends may be adversely affected for the reasons described under the caption “Risk Factors.”  All distributions will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our earnings, our financial condition, maintenance of our REIT status and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant from time to time.
 
 
52

 

 
Share Performance Graph

The following graph and table set forth certain information comparing the yearly percentage change in cumulative total return on our common stock to the cumulative total return of the Standard & Poor’s Composite 500 Stock Index or S&P 500 Index, and the Bloomberg REIT Mortgage Index, or BBG REIT Index, an industry index of mortgage REITs.  The comparison is for the period from September 17, 2009 to December 31, 2012 and assumes the reinvestment of dividends.  The graph and table assume that $100 invested in our common stock and the two other indices on September 17, 2009.  Upon written request we will provide stockholders with a list of the REITs included in the BBG REIT Index.
 
 
 
9/17/2009
12/31/2009
12/31/2010
12/31/2011
12/31/2012
CreXus
100
95
94
83
103
S&P 500 Index
100
105
121
123
142
BBG REIT Index
100
99
120
119
134
 
The information in the share performance graph and table has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but neither its accuracy nor its completeness can be guaranteed.  The historical information set forth above is not necessarily indicative of future performance.  Accordingly, we do not make or endorse any predictions as to future share performance.
 
 
53

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

We have adopted a long term stock incentive plan, or Incentive Plan, to provide incentives to our independent directors, employees of our Manager and its affiliates to stimulate their efforts towards our continued success long-term growth and profitability and to attract, reward and retain personnel and other service providers.  The Incentive Plan authorizes the Compensation Committee of the board of directors to grant awards, including incentive stock options as defined under Section 422 of the Code, or ISOs, non-qualified stock options, or NQSOs, restricted shares and other types of incentive awards.  Our Incentive Plan provides for grants of restricted common stock and other equity-based awards up to an aggregate amount, at the time of the award, of (i) 2.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock (on a fully diluted basis) at the time of the award less (ii) 250,000 shares, subject to an aggregate ceiling of 25,000,000 shares available for issuance under the Incentive Plan.  For a description of our Incentive Plan, see the Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
The following table provides information as of December 31, 2012 concerning shares of our common stock authorized for issuance under our existing Incentive Plan.

 
Number of Securities
to be Issued upon
Exercise of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and
Rights(1)
 
Weighted Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and
Rights(1)
Number of Securities Remaining for Future
Issuance Under Equity Compensation
Plans (1)
Plan Category
           
Equity Compensation Plans
   Approved by Stockholders
-
  $
-
 
                      1,646,347
 
Equity Compensation Plans Not
   Approved by Stockholders
-
  $
-
 
                                     -
 
Total
-
  $
-
 
                      1,646,347
 

_________
(1)
We have issued 19,416 shares of common stock to our independent directors under our equity incentive plan.
 

Item 6.  Selected Financial Data

The following selected financial data are derived from our audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, 2010 and the period commencing September 22, 2009 through December 31, 2009.  The selected financial data should be read in conjunction with the more detailed information contained in the Financial Statements and Notes thereto and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition Highlights
 
 (dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 
                         
   
As of
 
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
   
December 31, 2009
 
Commercial mortgage backed securities
  $ -     $ -     $ 224,112     $ 30,913  
Commercial real estate loans
    729,822       752,801       167,671       39,998  
Preferred equity held for investment
    39,769       -       21,198       -  
Real estate held for sale       33,655        -        -        -  
Investment in real estate
    33,655       33,196       -       -  
Total assets
    973,999       992,871       448,435       284,307  
Secured financing agreements
    -       -       172,837       25,579  
Mortgages payable
    19,150       16,600       -       -  
Participation sold (non-recourse)
    13,759       14,755       -       -  
Total liabilities
    66,126       65,714       180,400       28,480  
Stockholders' equity
    907,873       927,157       268,035       225,827  
Book value per share
  $ 11.85     $ 12.10     $ 14.79     $ 14.12  
Numbers of shares outstanding
    76,630,528       76,620,112       18,120,112       18,120,112  


 
54

 

 
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income Highlights
 
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 
   
For the Years ended
 (except as noted)
 
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
   
For the period commencing September 22, 2009 through December 31, 2009
 
Net interest income
  $ 86,893     $ 103,541     $ 15,453     $ 299  
Net realized gains (losses) on sale of assets
    (525 )     18,481       623       -  
Rental income
    3,153       238       -       -  
Net Income (loss) per average share-basic
   and diluted
  $ 0.93     $ 1.73     $ 0.66     $ (0.06 )
Dividends declared per share (1)
  $ 1.18     $ 1.13     $ 0.58     $ -  
                                 
(1) For applicable period as reported in our earnings announcements.
                 
 
 
Other Data
 
   
For the Years ended
 
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
   
For the Period commencing September 22, 2009 through December 31, 2009 (1)
 
   
(dollars in thousands, except percentages)
                         
Average total assets
  $ 974,307     $ 1,042,923     $ 423,549     $ 271,978  
Average investment in commercial real estate loans and preferred equity
    705,607       866,731       290,150       63,441  
Average borrowings on debt investments
    26,137       82,836       173,341       25,579  
Average equity
    915,333       901,885       263,029       256,745  
Yield on average interest earning assets
    12.47 %     12.22 %     7.13 %     10.16 %
Cost of funds on average interest bearing liabilities
    4.35 %     2.86 %     3.60 %     3.60 %
Interest rate spread
    8.12 %     9.36 %     3.53 %     6.56 %
Net interest margin (net interest income/average interest earning assets)
    12.32 %     11.95 %     3.80 %     8.71 %
G&A and management fee expense as percentage of average total assets
    2.10 %     1.36 %     0.93 %     1.74 %
G&A and management fee expense as percentage of average total equity
    2.23 %     1.57 %     1.51 %     1.84 %
Return on average interest earning assets
    10.07 %     12.52 %     5.09 %     (5.74 %)
Return on average equity
    7.76 %     12.03 %     4.53 %     (1.42 %)
Real estate investment at period-end (2)
    70,354       33,196       -       -  
Financing on real estate
    19,150       16,600       -       -  
Annualized yield on real estate investment portfolio at period end (3)
    9.55 %     7.67 %     -       -  
Weighted average cost of funds on real estate investment financing(4)
    3.49 %     3.50 %     -       -  
                                 
(1) Data for 2009 period is annualized.
                               
(2) Includes $33.5 million in real estate held for sale at December 31, 2012 . Also includes related net intangible assets in excess of liabilities associated with purchase price allocation.
     
(3) Impairment charges and gain on sales related to discontinued operations were not annualized for purposes of determining the yield on real estate investment portfolio.
     
(4) Includes the effect of the interest rate swap and excludes the effect of the change in market value of the interest rate swap for the year ended December 31, 2012.
     
 
 
 
55

 
 
Item 7.   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
Executive Summary

We are a commercial real estate company that acquires, manages, and finances, directly or through our subsidiaries, commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt, commercial real property, commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, other commercial real estate-related assets and Agency residential mortgage-backed securities.  We expect that the commercial real estate loans we acquire will be fixed and floating rate first mortgage loans secured by commercial properties.  We may also acquire subordinated commercial mortgage loans and mezzanine loans.  We have also invested in long-term sale-leaseback transactions and we may in invest in build-to-suit transactions for companies in the U.S.  The long term sale-leaseback and build to suit properties are triple-net leased to corporate tenants.  The triple-net leases require that in sale-leaseback transactions, each tenant pays substantially all of the costs associated with operating and maintaining the property, including real estate taxes, assessments and other government charges, insurance, utilities, repairs and maintenance and capital expenditures.  From time to time, we also acquire commercial real property as part of our resolution of commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt where a borrower defaults on their obligations and we take title to the collateral underlying the commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt through foreclosure or other means.

We acquire CMBS which are rated AAA through BBB as well as CMBS that are below investment grade or are non-rated.  The other commercial real estate-related securities and other commercial real estate asset classes consist of debt and equity tranches of commercial real estate collateralized debt obligations, or CRE CDOs, loans to real estate companies including real estate investment trusts, or REITs, and real estate operating companies, or REOCs, commercial real estate securities and commercial real property.  In addition, we may acquire residential mortgage-backed securities, or RMBS, for which a U.S. Government agency such as Ginnie Mae, or a federally chartered corporation such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, guarantees payments of principal and interest on the securities.  We refer to these securities as Agency RMBS.  We refer to Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac collectively as the Agencies.

We are externally managed by Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company, which we refer to as FIDAC, or our Manager.  FIDAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly Capital Management, Inc., or Annaly.

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year ending on December 31, 2009.  Our targeted asset classes and the principal investments we expect to make in each include:

·
Commercial Mortgage Loans:

 
o
A-Notes and other first mortgage loans that are secured by commercial and multifamily properties
 
 
o
Construction loans
 
·
Subordinated Debt and Preferred Equity:
 
 
o
B-Notes, C-Notes, and other subordinated notes
 
 
o
Mezzanine loans
 
 
o
Loan participations
 
 
o
Preferred equity
 
·
Commercial Real Property:

 
o
Office buildings
 
 
o
Hotels
 
 
o
Retail
 
 
o
Industrial
 
 
o
Multifamily
 
 
o
Residential condominiums
 
 
o
Other commercial real property including land
 
 
56

 

·
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities, or CMBS:

 
o
CMBS rated AAA through BBB
 
 
o
CMBS that are rated below investment grade or are non-rated
 
·
Other Commercial Real Estate Assets:

 
o
Debt and equity tranches of CRE CDOs
 
 
o
Loans to real estate companies including REITs and REOCs
 
 
o
Commercial real estate securities
 
·
Agency RMBS:

 
o
Single-family residential mortgage pass-through certificates representing interests in “pools” of mortgage loans secured by residential real property where payments of both interest and principal are guaranteed by a U.S. Government Agency or federally chartered corporation
 
Our principal business objective is to capitalize on the fundamental changes that have occurred and are occurring in the commercial real estate finance industry to provide attractive risk adjusted returns to our stockholders over the long term, primarily through dividends and secondarily through capital appreciation.  In order to capitalize on the changing sets of opportunities that may be present in the various points of an economic cycle, we may expand or refocus our strategy by emphasizing assets in different parts of the capital structure and different real estate sectors.  We expect to continue to deploy our capital through the origination and acquisition of commercial first mortgage loans, CMBS, mezzanine financings and other commercial real-estate debt instruments at attractive risk-adjusted yields as well as directly in commercial real property, and CMBS and Agency RMBS.  We expect to allocate our capital within our targeted asset classes opportunistically based upon our Manager’s assessment of the risk-reward profiles of particular assets.  Our strategy may be amended from time to time, if recommended by our Manager and approved by our board of directors.  If we amend our asset strategy, we are not required to seek stockholder approval.

We expect that over the near term our investment portfolio will be weighted toward commercial real estate loans and other commercial real estate debt and commercial real property, subject to maintaining our REIT qualification and our 1940 Act exemption.

We may use borrowings as part of our financing strategy.  We have financed our triple-net lease portfolio with non-recourse financings, which generally limit the recoverability of the loan to the respective properties.  These financings may be specific to a particular property or secured by a portfolio of our properties.  We anticipate that the loan to value ratio for these financing will be between 40% and 65% and would likely not exceed 80%.

Although we are not required to maintain any particular leverage ratio, the amount of leverage we incur is determined by our Manager, taking into account a variety of factors, which may include the anticipated liquidity and price volatility of the assets in our portfolio, the potential for losses and extension risk in our portfolio, the gap between the duration of our assets and liabilities, including hedges, the availability and cost of financing our assets, the creditworthiness of our financing counterparties, the health of the U.S. economy and commercial and residential mortgage markets, the outlook for the level, slope, and volatility of interest rate movement, the credit quality of our target assets and the collateral underlying our target assets.  We may enhance the returns on our commercial mortgage loan assets, especially loan acquisitions, through securitizations.  We may also sell the senior portion or
A-Note and retain the subordinate or junior position in a B-Note or other subordinate loan.  If possible, we may securitize the senior portion, expected to be equivalent to investment grade rated CMBS, while retaining the subordinate securities in our portfolio.  We use repurchase agreements to finance acquisitions of Agency RMBS with a number of counterparties.  We expect to leverage our triple-net lease investments.  In the future, we may also use other sources of financing to fund the acquisition of our targeted assets, including warehouse facilities and other secured and unsecured forms of borrowing.  We may also seek to raise further equity capital or issue debt securities to fund our future asset acquisitions.
 
 
57

 
 
Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, we may, from time to time, utilize derivative financial instruments to mitigate the effects of fluctuations in interest rates and its effects on our asset valuations.  We also may engage in a variety of interest rate management techniques that seek to mitigate changes in interest rates or other potential influences on the values of our assets.  We may attempt to reduce interest rate risk and to minimize exposure to interest rate fluctuations through the use of match funded financing structures, when appropriate.  We expect these instruments will allow us to minimize, but not eliminate, the risk that we have to refinance our liabilities before the maturities of our assets and to reduce the impact of changing interest rates on our earnings.

Factors Impacting our Operating Results

In addition to the prevailing market conditions, our operations are affected by a number of factors and primarily depend on, among other things, the level of our net interest income, the market value of our assets and the supply of, and demand for, commercial mortgage loans, commercial real estate debt, CMBS and other financial assets in the marketplace. Our net interest income includes the actual payments we receive and is also impacted by the amortization of purchase premiums and accretion of purchase discounts. Our net interest income varies over time, primarily as a result of changes in interest rates, and accretion of purchase discount.  Interest rates vary according to the type of asset, conditions in the financial markets, creditworthiness of our borrowers, competition and other factors, none of which can be predicted with certainty. Accretion of purchase discount is calculated using the effective interest method and is dependent on price of the asset and the duration that the asset matures.  Our operating results may also be impacted by credit losses in excess of initial anticipations or unanticipated credit events experienced by borrowers whose mortgage loans are held directly by us or are included in our CMBS.

Change in Fair Value of our Assets. It is our business strategy to hold our targeted assets as long-term investments.  As such, we expect that our CMBS and Agency RMBS will be carried at their fair value, as available-for-sale securities in accordance with ASC 320, Investments in Debt and Equity Securities, with changes in fair value recorded through accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) rather than through earnings. As a result, we do not expect that changes in the fair value of the assets will normally impact our operating results. At least on a quarterly basis, however, we will assess both our ability and intent to continue to hold such assets as long-term investments. As part of this process, we will monitor our targeted assets for other-than-temporary impairment, or OTTI, including OTTI attributable to credit losses. A change in our ability or intent to continue to hold any of our investment securities could result in our recognizing an impairment charge or realizing losses upon the sale of such securities.  Our commercial real estate loans are held for investment and are carried at amortized cost, net of an allowance for loan losses in accordance with ASC 310, Receivables.

Credit Risk. We may be exposed to various levels of credit risk depending on the nature of our investments and the nature and level of the assets underlying the investments and credit enhancements, if any, supporting our assets. FIDAC and FIDAC’s Investment Committee approve and monitor credit risk and other risks associated with each investment.  We review loan to value metrics upon either the origination or the acquisition of a new investment but generally not in the course of quarterly surveillance. We generally review the most recent financial information produced by the borrower, net operating income, or NOI, debt service coverage ratios, or DSCR, property debt yields (net cash flow or NOI divided by the amount of outstanding indebtedness), loan per unit and rent rolls relating to each of our assets, and may consider other factors we deem important. We review market pricing to determine the ability of the asset to refinance.  We review economic trends, both macro as well as those directly affecting the property, and the supply and demand of competing projects in the sub-market in which the subject property is located. We also evaluate the borrower’s ability to manage and operate the properties.

Based upon the review, loans are assigned an internal rating of Performing Loans, Watch List Loans or Workout Loans.   Loans that are deemed Performing Loans meet all present contractual obligations.  Watch List Loans are defined as performing or nonperforming loans for which the timing of cost recovery is under review.  Workout Loans are defined as loans for which there is a likelihood that we may not recover our cost basis.

 
58

 
 
Size of Portfolio. The size of our portfolio, as measured by the aggregate unpaid principal balance of our commercial real estate loans, aggregate principal balance of our mortgage-related securities and our investment in real estate are the key revenue drivers. Generally, as the size of our portfolio grows, the amount of interest and rental income we receive increases. The larger portfolio, however, may drive increased expenses if we incur additional interest expense to finance the purchase of our assets.

Changes in Market Interest Rates. With respect to our business operations, increases in interest rates, in general, may over time cause:

 
·
the interest expense associated with our borrowings to increase;
 
·
the value of our mortgage loans, CMBS and Agency RMBS, to decline;
 
·
coupons on our adjustable rate mortgage loans, CMBS and Agency RMBS to reset, although on a delayed basis, to higher interest rates;
 
·
to the extent applicable under the terms of our investments, prepayments on our mortgage loan portfolio, CMBS and Agency RMBS to slow, thereby slowing the amortization of our purchase premiums and the accretion of our purchase discounts; and
 
·
to the extent we enter into interest rate swap agreements as part of our hedging strategy, the value of these agreements to increase.

Conversely, decreases in interest rates, in general, may over time cause:

 
·
to the extent applicable under the terms of our investments, prepayments on our mortgage loan, CMBS and Agency RMBS portfolio to increase, thereby accelerating the amortization of our purchase premiums and the accretion of our purchase discounts;
 
·
the interest expense associated with our borrowings to decrease;
 
·
the value of our mortgage loan, CMBS and Agency RMBS portfolio to increase;
 
·
to the extent we enter into interest rate swap agreements as part of our hedging strategy, the value of these agreements to decrease; and
 
·
coupons on our adjustable-rate mortgage loans, CMBS and Agency RMBS to reset, although on a delayed basis, to lower interest rates

Since changes in interest rates may significantly affect our activities, our operating results depend, in large part, upon our ability to effectively manage interest rate risks and prepayment risks while maintaining our status as a REIT.
 
Investment Activities

At December 31, 2012, our investment portfolio consisted of $729.8 million of loans, $39.8 million of preferred equity and $70.4 million of equity investments in real estate, which includes real estate held for sale and is net of intangible assets and liabilities relating to the purchase price allocation of the investment in real estate of $3.2 million.
 
 
59

 
 
The following segmented table summarizes certain characteristics of our investment portfolio at December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

 
 
As of
 
   
 
December 31, 2012
   
 
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
   
December 31, 2009
 
Commercial Real Estate Debt and Preferred Equity Portfolio
 
(dollars in thousands)
Commercial real estate debt and preferred equity investment portfolio
  $ 769,591     $ 752,801     $ 188,869     $ 70,911  
Commercial mortgage backed securities
    -       -       224,112          
Interest bearing liabilities at period-end
    -       -       172,837       25,579  
Secured financing leverage at period-end (Debt:Equity)
    -       -    
0.6:1
   
0.1:1
 
Fixed-rate investments as percentage of portfolio
    71 %     38 %     94 %     100 %
Adjustable rate investments as percentage of portfolio
    29 %     62 %     6 %     -  
Fixed-rate investments
                               
    Commercial mortgage-backed securities as percentage of fixed-rate assets
    -       -       55 %     45 %
    Commercial real estate debt as percentage of fixed-rate assets
    93 %     100 %     40 %     55 %
    Commercial preferred equity as percentage of fixed-rate assets
    7 %     -       5 %     -  
Adjustable rate investments
                               
    Commercial mortgage loans as percentage of adjustable-rate assets
    100 %     100 %     100 %     -  
Weighted average yield on interest earning assets at period-end
    10.56 %     29.86 %     7.75 %     9.67 %
                                 
Real Estate Properties Portfolio including Real Estate Held for Sale
                               
Real estate investment at period-end (1)
  70,354     33,196       -       -  
Financing on real estate
  19,150     16,600       -       -  
Annualized yield on real estate investment portfolio at period end (2)
    9.55 %     7.67 %     -       -  
Weighted average cost of funds on real estate investment financing(3)
    3.49 %     3.50 %     -       -  
                                 
(1) Includes $33.5 million in real estate held for sale at December 31, 2012 . Also includes related net intangible assets in excess of liabilities associated with purchase price allocation.
     
(2) Impairment charges and gain on sales related to discontinued operations were not annualized for purposes of determining the yield on real estate investment portfolio.
     
(3) Includes the effect of the interest rate swap and excludes the effect of the change in market value of the interest rate swap for the year ended December 31, 2012.
     

 
 
60

 
 
The following table represents our commercial real estate loan and preferred equity portfolio at December 31, 2012:

Commercial Real Estate Loans and Preferred Equity
 
December 31, 2012
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
                                   
Property Type
           
Stated
 
Payment
         
Carrying
 
Senior Debt
Location
   
Coupon
   
Maturity Date
 
Terms
   
Face Amount
   
Amount
 
 
Condo
NY
      - %(1)  
Dec-13
    I/O     $ 12,973     $ 12,973  
 
Retail
CO
      5.58
%
 
May-17
 
30 year
      17,708       15,608  
 
Retail
IN
      4.75
%
 
Nov-14
    I/O       23,814       23,814  
 
Industrial
TX
      6.40
%
 
Aug-14
    I/O       34,000       35,448  
 
Retail
PA
      4.50
%
 
Aug-15
    I/O       12,500       12,500  
  Commercial mortgage loans: weighted average coupon     4.81
%
    Commercial mortgage loans total   $ 100,995     $ 100,343  
                                             
Subordinate and Mezzanine debt (2)
                                       
                                             
 
Hotel
TX
      10.53
%
 
Sep-16
    I/O     $ 44,000     $ 44,000  
 
Retail
TX
      11.25
%
 
Apr-15
 
30 year
      27,106       27,106  
 
Office
NY
      10.00
%
 
Jul-21
    I/O       10,000       10,000  
 
Office
NY
      10.00
%
 
Dec-14
 
Fully Amortizing
    3,945       3,945  
 
Retail
Various
      7.71
%
 
Dec-15
 
Fixed paydown
      45,625       42,822  
 
Office
CA
      11.13
%
 
Oct-14
    I/O       20,000       20,000  
 
Retail
Various
      12.24
%
 
Dec-19
    I/O       40,000       40,000  
 
Office
GA
      12.00
%
 
Oct-13
    I/O       20,500       20,500  
 
Office
IL
      5.65
%
 
Jan-15
 
30 year
      16,410       15,715  
 
Office
IL
      6.66
%
 
Jun-15
    I/O       25,000       23,239  
 
Office
NY
      11.15
%
 
Sep-21
    I/O       18,000       18,000  
 
Retail
Various
      11.25
%
 
Apr-17
 
25 year
      87,273       87,273  
 
Hotel
CA
      12.25
%
 
Apr-17
    I/O       8,000       8,000  
 
Industrial
Various
      11.00
%
 
Jun-17
    I/O       50,000       50,000  
 
Office
MD
      11.20
%
 
Aug-17
    I/O       10,130       10,130  
 
Office
MD
      11.70
%
 
Aug-17
    I/O       9,942       9,942  
 
Office
GA
      11.00
%
 
Jul-15
    I/O       9,000       9,000  
 
Hotel
Various
      11.50
%
 
Dec-19
    I/O       25,000       25,000  
 
Office
NY
      10.00
%
 
Oct-18
    I/O       10,000       10,000  
 
Industrial
NY
      11.50
%
 
Jan-18
    I/O       4,000       4,000  
 
Office
Various
      11.50
%
 
Dec-14
    I/O       92,673       92,673  
 
Retail
IN
      16.79
%
 
Nov-14
    I/O       4,626       4,626  
 
Hotel
NY
      10.83
%
 
Sep-13
    I/O       17,000       17,000  
 
Hotel
NY
      12.61
%
 
Sep-13
    I/O       13,000       13,000  
 
Office
IL
      12.25
%
 
Aug-15
    I/O       6,500       6,500  
 
Industrial
TX
      6.40
%
 
Aug-14
    I/O       12,500       11,008  
 
Retail
PA
      11.75
%
 
Aug-15
    I/O       6,000       6,000  
Subordinate and mezzanine debt: weighted average coupon     10.68
%
  Subordinate and mezzanine debt total   $ 636,230     $ 629,479  
    Total debt portfolio: weighted average coupon     9.87
%
    Total debt portfolio   $ 737,225     $ 729,822  
                                             
Preferred Equity
                                         
 
Multi-Family PE
MD
      11.00
%
 
Aug-22
    I/O     $ 39,769     $ 39,769  
Commercial real estate debt and preferred equity portfolio: weighted average coupon
    9.93
%
 
Total commercial real estate debt and prefered equity portfolio
  $ 776,994     $ 769,591  
 
 
 
61

 
 
Results of Operations
 
Net Income Summary
 
Our net income for the year ended December 31, 2012 was $71.0 million, or $0.93 per average common share, as compared to net income of $108.4 million or $1.73 per average common share for the year ended December 31, 2011 and net income of $11.9 million or $0.66 per average common share for the year ended December 31, 2010.  We attribute the decrease in net income for the year ending December 31, 2012 primarily to the decrease in accretion income of $38.0 million, partially offset by an increase of coupon related interest income of $20.1 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2011.  In addition, the sale of our CMBS and Agency RMBS portfolio resulted in a gain of $18.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2011 with no comparable amounts in 2012.
 
Net income increased by $1.07 per average share available to common shareholders and total net income increased by $96.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2011, when compared to the year ended December 31, 2010.  We attribute the increase in total net income to the purchase of income producing assets from the proceeds of our secondary offering.
 
 
62

 
 
The table below presents the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

 
CREXUS  INVESTMENT CORP.
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
 
 
(dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
 
                     
     
For the Year Ended
 
     
December 31, 2012
 
December 31, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
 
                     
 
Net interest income:
                 
 
Interest income
  $ 88,561     $ 106,483     $ 20,847  
 
Interest expense
    (1,138 )     (2,370 )     (5,279 )
 
Servicing fees
    (530 )     (572 )     (115 )
 
   Net interest income
    86,893       103,541       15,453  
                           
 
Other income:
                       
 
Realized loss on sale of loan
    (525 )     -       -  
 
Realized gains on sales of investments
    -       18,481       623  
 
Miscellaneous fee income
    348       486       -  
 
Rental income
    3,153       238       -  
 
   Total other income
    2,976       19,205       623  
                           
 
Other expenses:
                       
 
Provision for loan losses, net
    2,803       127       240  
 
Management fees to affiliate
    13,775       10,958       1,644  
 
General and administrative expenses
    6,660       3,211       2,305  
 
Amortization expense
    440       -       -  
 
Depreciation expense
    1,086       54       -  
 
   Total other expenses
    24,764       14,350       4,189  
                           
 
Income before income tax
    65,105       108,396       11,887  
 
Income tax
    39       -       1  
 
Net income from continuing operations
    65,066       108,396       11,886  
                           
 
Net income from discontinued operations (net of tax expense
 of $726, $0, and $0, respectively)
     6,752        -        -  
 
Gain on sale from discontinued operations
    1,774       -       -  
 
Impairment charges
    (2,560 )     -       -  
 
   Total income from discontinued operations
    5,966       -       -  
                           
 
Net Income
  $ 71,032     $ 108,396     $ 11,886  
                           
 
Net income per average share-basic and diluted,
 continuing operations
   $ 0.85      $ 1.73       $ 0.66   
 
Total net income per average share-basic and diluted,
 discontinued operations
    0.08        -           
           
           
 
Net income per average share-basic and diluted
  $ 0.93     $ 1.73     $ 0.66  
 
Dividend declared per share of common stock
  $ 1.18     $ 1.13     $ 0.58  
 
Weighted average number of shares outstanding-basic and diluted
    76,626,430       62,609,153       18,120,112  
 
Comprehensive income:
                       
 
Net income
  $ 71,032     $ 108,396     $ 11,886  
 
Other comprehensive income:
                       
 
Unrealized gains on securities available-for-sale
    -       -       11,471  
 
Reclassification adjustment for realized gains included in net income
    -       (10,475 )     (623 )
 
  Total other comprehensive income
    -       (10,475 )     10,848  
 
Comprehensive income
  $ 71,032     $ 97,921     $ 22,734  
 
 
63

 
 
Interest Income and Average Earning Asset Yield

We had average interest earning assets of $705.6 million, $866.7 million and $290.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Average interest earning assets for the year ended December 31, 2012 decreased primarily as a result of the sale of Agency RMBS and CMBS during the year ended December 31, 2011.  The increase in average interest earning assets for the year ended December 31, 2011 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2010 is primarily a result of the purchase of a combined $925.8 million of Agency mortgaged-backed securities and commercial real estate loans during 2011. Our interest income, net of service fees, was $88.0 million, $105.9 million and $20.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The yield on our portfolio, excluding cash, was 12.47%, 12.22% and 7.13% for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Interest income decreased $17.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2012 due to a net decrease in accretion income of $38.0 million, partially offset by an increase of coupon income of $20.1 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2011.  For the year ended December 31, 2011 our interest income increased $84.9 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2010 primarily due to the accretion of purchase discount related to assets purchased during 2011.

Interest Expense and the Cost of Funds

We had average interest bearing liabilities of $26.1 million, $82.8 million and $173.3 million for the years ending December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Total interest expense, which includes the change in market value of the interest rate swap, totaled $1.1 million, $2.4 million and $5.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Our average cost of funds, including the change in market value of the interest rate swap, was 4.35%, 2.86% and 3.60% for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Our interest expense decreased $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2011 primarily due to the repayment of the Term Asset-back Loan Facility, or TALF, debt.  Our interest expense decreased $2.9 million primarily due to the financing of fewer assets and a lower cost of funds for the year ended December 31, 2011 when compared to the year ended December 31, 2010.

Net Interest Income

Our net interest income, which equals interest income less interest expense and service fees, totaled $86.9 million, $103.5 million and $15.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  Our net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2012 decreased by $16.6 million primarily due to a net decrease in accretion income of $38.0 million, partially offset by an increase of coupon income of $20.1 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2011.  For the year ended December 31, 2011, our net interest income increased $88.1 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2010 primarily due to the accretion of purchase discount related to assets purchased during 2011.  Our net interest spread was 8.12%, 9.36% and 3.53% for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  For the year ended December 31, 2012, the decrease in net interest spread is primarily due to an increase in the average cost of funds as compared to the year ended December 31, 2011.  Interest spread for the years ended December 31, 2011 increased due to accretion income increasing the yield of our investments when compared to the year ended December 31, 2010.

 
64

 
 
The table below summarizes our average earning assets held, interest earned on assets, yield on average interest earning assets, average balance of interest bearing liabilities, interest expense, average cost of funds, net interest income, and net interest rate spread for the periods presented.

Net Interest Income
(Ratios have been annualized, dollars in thousands)
           
Yield on
                 
   
Average
     
Average
 
Average
           
Net
   
Earning
   
Interest
Interest
 
Interest
   
Average
 
Net
 
Interest
   
Assets
   
Earned on
Earning
 
Bearing
 
Interest
Cost
 
Interest
 
Rate
   
Held (1)(2)
   
Assets (1)(2)(3)
Assets (1)(2)(3)
 
Liabilities (3)
 
Expense (3)
of Funds (3)
 
Income
 
Spread
For the year ended December 31, 2012
$
         705,607
 
$
              88,013
12.47%
$
           26,137
$
         1,138
4.35%
$
    86,893
 
8.12%
For the year ended December 31, 2011
$
         866,731
 
$
            105,900
12.22%
$
           82,836
$
         2,370
2.86%
$
  103,530
 
9.36%
For the year ended December 31, 2010
$
         290,150
 
$
              20,675
7.13%
$
         173,341
$
         5,279
3.60%
$
    15,396
 
3.53%
For the period ended December 31, 2009
$
           63,441
 
$
                   279
9.67%
$
           25,579
$
              26
3.60%
$
         253
 
6.05%
For the quarter ended December 31, 2012
$
         746,642
 
$
              20,245
10.85%
$
           26,422
$
            281
4.24%
$
    19,964
 
6.61%
For the quarter ended September 30, 2012
$
         747,049
 
$
              26,816
14.36%
$
           19,150
$
            187
3.92%
$
    26,629
 
10.44%
For the quarter ended June 30, 2012
$
         638,619
 
$
              17,689
11.08%
$
           27,392
$
            310
4.52%
$
    17,382
 
6.56%
For the quarter ended March 31, 2012
$
         689,210
 
$
              23,270
13.51%
$
           31,656
$
            360
4.55%
$
    22,916
 
8.96%
                               
(1) Excludes cash and cash equivalents.
                             
(2) Includes non-recourse participation sold and corresponding related asset, interest icome and expense.
             
(3) Net of servicing fees.
                             
 
Rental Income
 
Our rental income for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 was $3.2 million and $238 thousand, respectively.  The increase in rental income during 2012 is due to acquiring investments in real estate at the end of 2011.  We had no rental income for the year ended December 31, 2010.
 
Management Fee and General and Administrative Expenses
 
We paid FIDAC management fees of $13.8 million, $11.0 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The increases are primarily to the increase in stockholders’ equity for the comparable periods.
 
General and Administrative, or G&A, expenses totaled $6.7 million, $3.2 million and $2.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.   The increase from the year ended December 31, 2011 to the year ended December 31, 2012 is primarily attributable to costs associated with taking possession of collateral underlying loans via a deed in lieu of foreclosure.  The increase in G&A from the year ended December 31, 2010 to the year ended December 31, 2011 is primarily attributable to an increase in the Company’s asset base.
 
Total management fee and G&A expenses as a percentage of average total assets, excluding provision for loan losses, depreciation and amortization, were 2.10%, 1.36% and 0.93% for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The increase from the year ended December 31, 2011 to the year ended December 31, 2012, and from the year ended December 31, 2010 to the year ended December 31,  2011, is generally attributable to an increase in management fee, the increase in asset base, license, legal and accounting fees.

Currently, FIDAC has waived its right to require us to pay our pro rata portion of rent, telephone, utilities, office furniture, equipment, machinery and other office, internal and overhead expenses of FIDAC and its affiliates required for our operations.

The table below shows our total management fee and G&A expenses as a percentage of average total assets and average equity for the periods presented.
 
 
65

 
 
Management Fees and G&A Expenses Ratios
(Ratios have been annualized, dollars in thousands)
         
     
Total Management
Total Management
   
Total Management
Fee and G&A
Fee and G&A
   
Fee and G&A
Expenses/Average
Expenses/Average
   
Expenses
Total Assets
Equity
For the year ended December 31, 2012
 
 $         20,435
2.10%
2.23%
For the year ended December 31, 2011
 
 $         14,169
1.36%
1.57%
For the year ended December 31, 2010
 
 $           3,949
0.93%
1.51%
For the period ended December 31, 2009
 
 $           1,305
1.74%
1.84%
For the quarter ended December 31, 2012
 
 $           4,875
2.01%
2.14%
For the quarter ended September 30, 2012
 
 $           4,773
1.97%
2.07%
For the quarter ended June 30, 2012
 
 $           4,606
1.88%
2.00%
For the quarter ended March 31, 2012
 
 $           6,181
2.50%
2.67%
 
Net Income and Return on Average Equity

Our net income was $71.0 million, $108.4 million and $11.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The decrease in net income for the year ending December 31, 2012 is primarily due to the decrease in accretion income of $38.0 million, partially offset by an increase of coupon related interest income of $20.1 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2011.  Additionally, the sale of our CMBS and Agency RMBS portfolio during 2011 resulted in a gain of $18.5 million.  The table below summarizes our net interest income, fee income, rental income, total expenses, realized gains (losses), and net income from discontinued operations each as a percentage of average equity for the periods presented.  The table also highlights the return on average equity for the periods presented.
 
Components of Return on Average Equity
(Ratios have been annualized)
           
Net Income on
 
 
 Net Interest
Fee
Rental
Total
Realized
Discontinued
Return
 
Income/
Income/
Income/
Expenses(1)/
Gains (Losses)/
Operations/(2)
on
 
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
Average
 
Equity
Equity
Equity
Equity
Equity
Equity
Equity
For the year ended December 31, 2012
9.49%
0.04%
0.34%
(2.71%)
(0.06%)
0.65%
7.75%
For the year ended December 31, 2011
11.48%
0.05%
0.03%
(1.58%)
2.05%
0.00%
12.03%
For the year ended December 31, 2010
5.89%
0.00%
0.00%
(1.60%)
0.24%
0.00%
4.53%
For the period ended December 31, 2009
0.42%
0.00%
0.00%
(1.84%)
0.00%
0.00%
(1.42%)
For the quarter ended December 31, 2012
8.76%
0.00%
0.36%
(2.31%)
0.00%
1.04%
7.85%
For the quarter ended September 30, 2012
11.57%
0.00%
0.35%
(2.24%)
0.00%
0.15%
9.83%
For the quarter ended June 30, 2012
7.54%
0.00%
0.35%
(2.18%)
(0.23%)
0.75%
6.23%
For the quarter ended March 31, 2012
9.91%
0.15%
0.31%
(4.06%)
0.00%
0.66%
6.97%
               
(1) Includes provision for loan loss, depreciation and amortization.
       
(2) Includes net income, gain on sale and impairment charges related to discontinued operations.
   

 
Discontinued Operations

We recorded net income of approximately $6.8 million from discontinued operations during the year ended December 31, 2012, which represents the net operating results of the hotels acquired during the quarter ended March 31, 2012 via deed in lieu of foreclosure.  Net income from discontinued operations is recorded net of tax expense of $726 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2012.  We recorded a pre-tax gain on sale from discontinued operations of $1.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2012.  Additionally, we incurred a $2.6 million impairment charge on real estate held for sale during the year ended December 31, 2012.  We had no activities classified as discontinued operations for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010.

 
66

 
 
Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity measures our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including ongoing commitments to repay borrowings, fund and maintain our assets and operations, make distributions to our stockholders and other general business needs.  We will primarily use cash to purchase our targeted assets, repay principal and interest on our borrowings, make distributions to our stockholders and fund our operations.  Our primary sources of cash will generally consist of the net proceeds from equity offerings, payments of principal, interest and rental income we receive on our portfolio of assets, proceeds from the sale of real estate held for sale and cash generated from operating real estate held for sale.

We have financed our triple-net lease portfolio with non-recourse financings, which generally limit the recoverability of the loan by the creditor to the respective property.  These financings are generally specific to a particular property or secured by a portfolio of our properties.  We anticipate that the loan to value ratio for these financing will be between 40% and 65% and would likely not exceed 80%. We may utilize structural leverage through securitizations of commercial real estate loans or CMBS. We may also seek to finance the acquisition of Agency RMBS using repurchase agreements with counterparties, which are recourse to us.  With regard to securitizations or selling the senior portion of the loan, the leverage will depend on the market conditions for structuring such transactions.  We anticipate that leverage for Agency RMBS would be available to us, which would provide for a debt-to-equity ratio in the range of 2:1 to 4:1 and would likely not exceed 8:1.  Based on current market conditions, we expect to operate within the leverage levels described above in the near and long-term.  We can provide no assurance that we will be able to obtain financing on favorable terms, or at all.

Securitizations

We may seek to enhance the returns on our commercial mortgage loan investments, especially loan acquisitions, through securitization. If available, we may securitize the senior portion, expected to be equivalent to AAA-rated CMBS, while retaining the subordinate securities in our portfolio.

Other Sources of Financing

We have used and may continue to use repurchase agreements to finance acquisitions of Agency RMBS with a number of counterparties. Under our repurchase agreements, we may be required to pledge additional assets to our repurchase agreement counterparties (i.e., lenders) in the event the estimated fair value of the existing pledged collateral under such agreements declines and such lenders demand additional collateral (a margin call), which may take the form of additional securities or cash.  Similarly, if the estimated fair value of interest earning assets increases due to changes in market interest rates or market factors, lenders may release collateral back to us.  Specifically, margin calls result from a decline in the value of our Agency RMBS securing our repurchase agreements, prepayments on the mortgages securing such Agency RMBS and changes in the estimated fair value of such Agency RMBS generally due to principal reduction of such Agency RMBS from scheduled amortization and resulting from changes in market interest rates and other market factors.  Our repurchase agreements may provide that the valuations for the Agency RMBS securing our repurchase agreements are to be obtained from a generally recognized source agreed to by the parties.  However, in certain circumstances and under certain of our repurchase agreements our lenders may have the sole discretion to determine the value of the Agency RMBS securing our repurchase agreements.  In instances where we agree to permit our lenders to make a determination of the value of the Agency RMBS securing our repurchase agreements, such lenders are required to act in good faith in making such valuation determinations and in certain of these instances are also required to act reasonably in this determination.  Our repurchase agreements generally provide that in the event of a margin call we must provide additional securities or cash on the same business day that a margin call is made, if the lender provides us notice prior to the margin notice deadline on such day.  As of December 31, 2012, we did not own any Agency RMBS and consequently have no Agency RMBS pledged or subject to any margin calls under repurchase agreements.  However, should we acquire any Agency RMBS under repurchase agreements, margin calls on the repurchase agreements could result, causing an adverse change in our liquidity position.

In the future, we may also use other sources of financing to fund the acquisition of our targeted assets, including warehouse facilities and other secured and unsecured forms of borrowing. Our sources of liquidity include selling the senior portion or A-Note and retaining the subordinate or junior position in a B-Note or other subordinate loan.  We may also seek to raise further equity capital or issue debt securities in order to fund our future asset acquisitions.
 
 
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For our short-term (one year or less) and long-term liquidity, which include investing and compliance with collateralization requirements under our repurchase agreements (if the pledged collateral decreases in value or in the event of margin calls created by prepayments of the pledged collateral), we also rely on the cash flow from investments, primarily monthly principal and interest payments to be received on our CMBS and commercial real estate loans, cash flow from the sale of securities, rental income from our net lease investments, proceeds from sales of discontinued operations as well as any primary securities offerings authorized by our board of directors.

Based on our current portfolio, leverage ratio and available borrowing arrangements, we believe our assets will be sufficient to enable us to meet anticipated short-term (one year or less) liquidity requirements such as to fund our investment activities, pay fees under our management agreement, fund our distributions to stockholders and pay general corporate expenses.  If our cash resources are at any time insufficient to satisfy our liquidity requirements, we may have to sell debt or additional equity securities in a common stock offering. If required, the sale of assets at prices lower than their carrying value would result in losses and reduced income.

Our ability to meet our long-term (greater than one year) liquidity and capital resource requirements may be subject to obtaining additional debt financing and equity capital. Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, we expect to use a number of sources to finance our investments, including repurchase agreements, warehouse facilities, securitization, commercial paper and term financing CDOs. Such financings will depend on market conditions for capital raises and for the investment of any proceeds. If we are unable to renew, replace or expand our sources of financing on substantially similar terms, it may have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Upon liquidation, holders of our debt securities and lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive a distribution of our available assets prior to the holders of our common stock.
 
 
We held cash and cash equivalents of approximately $123.5 million and $202.8 million at December 31, 2012 and December 31 2011, respectively.  The net decrease from 2011 to 2012 is primarily due to the acquisition of loans, real estate and preferred equity investments and the payment of dividends.

Our operating activities provided net cash of approximately $51.4 million, $34.2 million and $8.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The increases are primarily due to an increase net interest income.

Our investing activities resulted in the net use of cash of $37.5 million, $305.0 million, and $330.7 million  for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The net use of cash is primarily due to the purchase of loans and preferred equity investments for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Our financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2012 resulted in the net use of cash of $93.2 million, primarily attributable to $92.7 million paid in dividends to our common shareholders. Our financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2011 resulted in net proceeds of $442.6 million.  The net proceeds from financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2011 is primarily attributable to $634.3 million of proceeds from our secondary offering that settled in April 2011, offset by $172.8 million for the repayment of our TALF financing. Our financing activity for the year ended December 31, 2010 resulted in net proceeds of $140.7 million primarily due to TALF financing of CMBS.

At December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 we had outstanding financing agreements of $19.2 million, $16.6 million and $172.8 million, respectively, and no repurchase agreements in any of these periods.

We are not required to maintain any specific debt-to-equity ratios.  We believe the appropriate leverage for the particular assets we are financing depends on the credit quality and risk of those assets. At December 31, 2012 our total non-recourse debt was approximately $19.2 million which represented a debt-to-equity ratio of approximately 0.02:1.  At December 31, 2011 our total debt was approximately $16.6 million which represented a debt-to-equity ratio of approximately 0.02:1.

 
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Stockholders' Equity

Our charter provides that we may issue up to 1,100,000,000 shares of stock, consisting of up to 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock having a par value of $0.01 per share and up to 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock having a par value of $0.01 per share.

There was no preferred stock issued or outstanding as of December 31, 2012 or December 31, 2011.

Related Party Transactions

Management Agreement

We have entered into a management agreement with FIDAC, pursuant to which FIDAC is entitled to receive a management fee and, in certain circumstances, a termination fee and reimbursement of certain expenses as described in the management agreement.  Such fees and expenses do not have fixed payments.  The management fee is payable quarterly in arrears, and currently is 1.50% per annum, of our stockholders’ equity (as defined in the management agreement).  FIDAC uses the proceeds from its management fee in part to pay compensation to its officers and employees who, notwithstanding that certain of them also are our officers, receive no cash compensation directly from us.

Upon termination without cause, we will pay FIDAC a termination fee.  We may also terminate the management agreement with 30-days’ prior notice from our board of directors, without payment of a termination fee, for cause or upon a change of control of Annaly or FIDAC, each as defined in the management agreement.  FIDAC may terminate the management agreement if we or any of our subsidiaries become required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act, with such termination deemed to occur immediately before such event, in which case we would not be required to pay a termination fee.  FIDAC may also decline to renew the management agreement by providing us with 180-days’ written notice, in which case we would not be required to pay a termination fee.

On January 30, 2013, we and our Manager entered into an amendment to the management agreement pursuant to which, our Manager has agreed to, among other things, in good faith facilitate and assist the Company in its efforts to actively seek and solicit acquisition proposals during the Transaction Solicitation Period and, following the conclusion of the Transaction Solicitation Period, in good faith facilitate and assist our discussions, negotiations, providing of information and any other permissible action with respect to possible acquisition proposals under the terms of the Merger Agreement. The amendment also shortens the notice provision for our termination of the management agreement from 180 days to 60 days’ notice at any time during the first six months following the acquisition by a third party of a majority of our stock or assets.
 
We are obligated to reimburse FIDAC for its costs incurred under the management agreement.  In addition, the management agreement permits FIDAC to require us to pay for our pro rata portion of rent, telephone, utilities, office furniture, equipment, machinery and other office, internal and overhead expenses of FIDAC incurred in our operation.  These expenses are allocated between FIDAC and us based on the ratio of our proportion of gross assets compared to all remaining gross assets managed by FIDAC as calculated at each quarter end.  We and FIDAC will modify this allocation methodology, subject to our board of directors’ approval if the allocation becomes inequitable (i.e., if we become very highly leveraged compared to FIDAC’s other funds and accounts).  FIDAC has waived its right to request reimbursement from us of these expenses until such time as it determines to rescind that waiver. 

Agreement and Plan of Merger
 
 On January 30, 2013, we entered into  the Merger Agreement with Annaly and CXS Acquisition Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly (or Acquisition), pursuant to which, among other things, Acquisition will commence a tender offer (or the Offer) to purchase all of the outstanding shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (or the Shares), that Acquisition or Annaly do not own at a price per share of $13.00 in cash, plus a cash payment to reflect a pro-rated quarterly dividend for the quarter in which the Offer is consummated, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.  If at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors are tendered and purchased by Acquisition in the tender offer, and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain limited conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement (including, if required, receipt of approval by our stockholders), Acquisition will merge with and into us, we would be surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly.  In the Merger, each outstanding Share, other than Shares owned by Acquisition and Annaly, will be converted into the right to receive the same cash consideration paid in the Offer.
 
 
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Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, we may solicit, receive, evaluate and enter into negotiations with respect to alternative proposals from third parties for the Transaction Solicitation Period consisting of a period of 45 calendar days continuing through March 16, 2013.  We may continue discussions after the Transaction Solicitation Period with parties who made acquisition proposals during the Transaction Solicitation Period, or who made unsolicited acquisition proposals after the Transaction Solicitation Period, in either case that we determine, in good faith, would result in, or is reasonably likely to result in, a superior proposal. If we receive a superior proposal, Annaly and Acquisition have the right to increase their offer price one time to a price that is at least $0.10 per share greater than the value per share stockholders would receive as a result of the superior proposal and thereafter we may terminate after providing two business days’ notice.  If we terminate the Merger Agreement during the Transaction Solicitation Period or during the 10-day period following its expiration to enter into a superior proposal with a party who delivered a written acquisition proposal during the Transaction Solicitation Period, we will be required to pay to Annaly a termination fee of $15 million. If we terminates the Merger Agreement thereafter in connection with a superior proposal, the termination fee will be $25 million.  If the Merger Agreement is terminated in either circumstance, we will also be required to reimburse Annaly’s documented out-of-pocket expenses, up to $5 million. In all cases, the termination fee and expense reimbursement will be credited against the termination fee payable by us under the management agreement with FIDAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly.
 
The Merger Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants of us, Annaly and Acquisition.  We agreed to operate our business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice until the effective time of the Merger.  Annaly has separately agreed to not purchase any Shares in excess of the approximately 12.4% of the outstanding that it currently owns.
 
 Consummation of the Offer is subject to various conditions, including (1) the valid tender of the number of Shares that would represent at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors, (2) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being unlawful under any applicable statute, rule or regulation, (3) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being enjoined by order of any court or other governmental authority, (4) the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement), (5) neither our board of directors nor its special committee of independent directors having withdrawn its recommendation of the Offer or Merger to our stockholders, and (6) the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions. Neither the Offer nor the Merger is subject to a financing condition.  Annaly plans to finance the transaction with cash on hand.
 
 If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold at least 90% of the outstanding Shares, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without the approval of the Merger by our stockholders. If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold less than 90% of the outstanding Shares, Acquisition will have the right to exercise the Percentage Increase Option which provides us an irrevocable option under the Merger Agreement to purchase from us that number of additional Shares that will increase the percentage of outstanding Shares owned by Annaly and its subsidiaries to one share more than 90% of the outstanding Shares (after giving effect to the issuance of shares pursuant to the Percentage Increase Option).  Upon exercise of the Percentage Increase Option, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without approval of the Merger by our stockholders.
 
Our board of directors, upon the unanimous recommendation and approval of a special committee consisting of our three independent directors, adopted resolutions (i) determining and declaring advisable the Merger Agreement and the Offer, the Merger, the Percentage Increase Option and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (ii) determining that the terms of the Offer, the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are in the best interests of, and fair to, our stockholders other than Annaly and its affiliates, and (iii) recommending that our stockholders (other than Annaly and its affiliates) accept the Offer, tender their Shares into the Offer and, to the extent required by applicable law to consummate the Merger, vote their Shares in favor of approving the Merger.
 
 
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Clearing and Underwriting Fees

We use RCap Securities, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly, or RCAP, to clear trades for us and RCap receives customary fees and charges in connection with the provision of such services.  For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 we paid RCap approximately $36 thousand and $22 thousand, respectively, for its services.  We did not pay RCap fees in 2010.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

As of December 31, 2012 we financed a portion of our real estate assets with non-recourse mortgage loans.  The table below provides a summary of our contractual obligations at December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.
 
   
December 31, 2012
 
   
Within One
Year
   
One to Three
Years
   
Three to
Five Years
   
Greater Than
Five Years
   
Total
 
Contractual Obligations
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
Loan
  $ -     $ 411     $ 18,739     $ -     $ 19,150  
Interest expense on loan
    670       1,333       717       -       2,720  
Total
  $ 670     $ 1,744     $ 19,456     $ -     $ 21,870  
                                         
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
Within One
Year
   
One to Three
Years
   
Three to
Five Years
   
Greater Than
Five Years
   
Total
 
Contractual Obligations
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
Loan
  $ -     $ -     $ 16,600     $ -     $ 16,600  
Interest expense on loan
    533       1,162       1,143       -       2,838  
Total
  $ 533     $ 1,162     $ 17,743     $ -     $ 19,438  
 
We agreed to pay the underwriters of our initial public offering $0.15 per share for each share sold in the initial public offering if during any full four calendar quarter period during the 24 full calendar quarters after our initial public offering certain performance hurdles were met.  During the year ended December 31, 2012 we paid the underwriters $2.0 million, representing the full amount due, as a result of meeting the required hurdle.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.  Further, we have not guaranteed any obligations of unconsolidated entities nor do we have any commitment or intent to provide funding to any such entities.

Dividends

To qualify as a REIT, we must pay annual dividends to our stockholders of at least 90% of our taxable income. We intend to pay regular quarterly dividends to our stockholders. Before we pay any dividend, whether for U.S. federal income tax purposes or otherwise, which would only be paid out of available cash to the extent permitted under our repurchase facilities, we must first meet both our operating requirements and scheduled debt service on our other outstanding indebtedness.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, we declared dividends to common shareholders totaling $90.4 million or $1.18 per share, of which $24.5 million or $0.32 per share, was paid on January 24, 2013.  During the year ended December 31, 2011, we declared dividends to common shareholders totaling $73.1 million or $1.13 per share, of which $26.8 million or $0.35 per share, was paid on January 26, 2012.

Capital Expenditures

At December 31, 2012, we had no material commitments for capital expenditures.
 
 
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Inflation

Virtually all of our assets and liabilities are interest rate sensitive in nature. As a result, interest rates and other factors will influence our performance far more so than does inflation. Changes in interest rates do not necessarily correlate with inflation rates or changes in inflation rates. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP and our distributions will be determined by our board of directors consistent with our obligation to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income on an annual basis in order to maintain our REIT qualification; in each case, our activities and balance sheet are measured with reference to historical cost and/or fair market value without considering inflation.

Other Matters

We calculate that at least 75% of our assets were qualified REIT assets, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) as of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.   We also calculate that our revenue qualifies for the 75% source of income test and for the 95% source of income test rules for the year ended December 31, 2012 and the year ended December 31, 2011 and for each quarter therein.  Consequently, we met the REIT income and asset tests. We also met all REIT requirements regarding the ownership of our common stock and the distribution of our net income.  Therefore, as of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we believe that we qualified as a REIT under the Code.

We, at all times, intend to conduct our business so as not to become regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or the 1940 Act.  If we were to become regulated as an investment company, then our ability to use leverage would be substantially reduced.

Certain of our subsidiaries, including CreXus S Holdings LLC and certain subsidiaries that we may form in the future, rely on the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the 1940 Act.  Section 3(c)(5)(C) as interpreted by the staff of the SEC, requires us to invest at least 55% of our assets in “mortgages and other liens on and interest in real estate” (or Qualifying Real Estate Assets) and at least 80% of our assets in Qualifying Real Estate Assets plus real estate related assets.  The assets that we acquire, therefore, are limited by the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated under the 1940 Act.

On August 31, 2011, the SEC issued a concept release titled “Companies Engaged in the Business of Acquiring Mortgages and Mortgage-Related Instruments” (SEC Release No. IC-29778).  Under the concept release, the SEC is reviewing interpretive issues related to the Section 3(c)(5)(C) exemption.  If the SEC determines that any of the securities we currently treat as Qualifying Real Estate Assets are not Qualifying Real Estate Assets or otherwise believes we do not satisfy the exemption under Section 3(c)(5)(C), we could be required to restructure our activities or sell certain of our assets.  We may be required at times to adopt less efficient methods of financing certain of our mortgage assets and we may be precluded from acquiring certain types of higher yielding mortgage assets.  The net effect of these factors will be to lower our net interest income.  If we fail to qualify for exemption from registration as an investment company, our ability to use leverage would be substantially reduced, and we would not be able to conduct our business as described.   The potential outcomes of the SEC’s actions are unclear as is the SEC’s timetable for its review and actions.

We determined that as of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we were in compliance with the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the 1940 Act as interpreted by the staff of the SEC.
 
 
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As a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or CFTC) gained jurisdiction over the regulation of interest rate swaps.  The CFTC has asserted that this causes the operators of mortgage real estate investment trusts that use swaps as part of their business model to fall within the statutory definition of Commodity Pool Operator (or CPO), and, absent relief from the Division or the Commission, to register as CPOs.  On December 7, 2012, as a result of numerous requests for no-action relief from the CPO registration requirement for operators of mortgage real estate investment trusts, the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight of the CFTC issued no-action relief entitled “No-Action Relief from the Commodity Pool Operator Registration Requirement for Commodity Pool Operators of Certain Pooled Investment Vehicles Organized as Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts” that permits a CPO to receive relief by filing a claim to perfect the use of the relief. A claim submitted by a CPO will be effective upon filing, so long as the claim is materially complete.  The conditions that must be met to claim the relief are that the mortgage real estate investment trust must:

 
Limit the initial margin and premiums required to establish its commodity interest positions to no more than 5 percent of the fair market value of the mortgage real estate investment trust’s total assets;
 
 
Limit the net income derived annually from its commodity interest positions that are not qualifying hedging transactions to less than five percent of the mortgage real estate investment trust’s gross income;
 
 
Ensure that interests in the mortgage real estate investment trust are not marketed to the public as or in a commodity pool or otherwise as or in a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options, or swaps markets; and
 
 
Either:
 
 
identify itself as a “mortgage REIT” in Item G of its last U.S. income tax return on Form 1120-REIT; or
 
 
if it has not yet filed its first U.S. income tax return on Form 1120-REIT, but has disclosed to its shareholders that it intends to identify itself as a “mortgage REIT” in its first U.S. income tax return on Form 1120-REIT.
 
While we disagree that the CFTC’s position that mortgage real estate investment trusts that use swaps as part of their business model fall within the statutory definition of a CPO, we have submitted a claim for the relief set forth in the no-action relief entitled “No-Action Relief from the Commodity Pool Operator Registration Requirement for Commodity Pool Operators of Certain Pooled Investment Vehicles Organized as Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts” and believe we meet the criteria for such relief set forth therein.
 
 
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Item 7A.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK 
 
The primary components of our market risk are related to credit risk, interest rate risk, prepayment risk and market value risk. While we do not seek to avoid risk completely, we believe risk can be quantified from historical experience and seek to actively manage that risk, to earn sufficient compensation to justify taking those risks and to maintain capital levels consistent with the risks we undertake.

Credit Risk

We are subject to credit risk, which is the risk of loss due to a borrower’s failure to repay principal or interest on a loan, a security or otherwise fail to meet a contractual obligation, in connection with our assets and will face more credit risk on assets we own which are rated below “AAA”. The credit risk related to these assets pertains to the ability and willingness of the borrowers to pay, which is assessed before credit is granted or renewed and periodically reviewed throughout the loan or security term. We believe that residual loan credit quality is primarily determined by the borrowers’ credit profiles and loan characteristics.

FIDAC uses a comprehensive credit review process. FIDAC’s analysis of loans includes borrower profiles, as well as valuation and appraisal data.  FIDAC’s resources include a proprietary portfolio management system, as well as third party software systems.  FIDAC selects loans for review predicated on risk-based criteria such as loan-to-value, a property’s operating history and loan size. FIDAC rejects loans that fail to conform to our standards. FIDAC accepts only those loans which meet our underwriting criteria. Once we own a loan, FIDAC’s surveillance process includes ongoing analysis and oversight by our third-party servicer and us. Additionally, CMBS, other commercial real estate-related securities and Agency RMBS which we acquire for our portfolio will be reviewed by FIDAC to ensure that the assets we acquire satisfy our risk based criteria. FIDAC’s review of CMBS, other commercial real estate-related securities and Agency RMBS includes utilizing its proprietary portfolio management system. FIDAC’s review of CMBS, other commercial real estate-related securities and Agency RMBS is based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of the risk-adjusted returns such securities present.

Loans are assigned an internal rating of “Performing Loans,” “Watch List Loans” or “Workout Loans.”  Performing Loans meet all present contractual obligations.  Watch List Loans are defined as performing or nonperforming loans for which the timing of cost recovery is under review.  Workout Loans are defined as loans for which there is a likelihood that the we may not recover our cost basis.  The criteria used to asses these internal ratings are net operating income (NOI), debt service coverage (DSCR), property debt yields (net cash flow or NOI divided by the amount of outstanding indebtedness), loan per unit and rent rolls relating to each of its assets, and may also consider other factors we deem important.  We review market pricing to determine the ability to refinance the asset.  We review economic trends, both macro as well as those directly affecting the property, and the supply and demand of competing projects in the sub-market in which the subject property is located. We also evaluate the borrower’s ability to manage and operate the properties.

Interest Rate Risk

Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including fiscal and monetary policies and domestic and international economic and political considerations, as well as other factors. We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with our assets and any related financing obligations. In general, we may finance the acquisition of our targeted assets through financings in the form of borrowings under programs established by the U.S. government, warehouse facilities, bank credit facilities (including term loans and revolving facilities), resecuritizations, securitizations and repurchase agreements. We may mitigate interest rate risk through utilization of hedging instruments, primarily interest rate swap agreements. Interest rate swap agreements are intended to serve as a hedge against future interest rate increases on our borrowings. Another component of interest rate risk is the effect changes in interest rates will have on the market value of the assets we acquire. We face the risk that the market value of our assets will increase or decrease at different rates than that of our liabilities, including our hedging instruments. We may acquire floating rate mortgage assets. These are assets in which the mortgages are typically subject to periodic and lifetime interest rate caps and floors, which limit the amount by which the asset’s interest yield may change during any given period. Our borrowing costs pursuant to our financing agreements, however, will not be subject to similar restrictions. Therefore, in a period of increasing interest rates, interest rate costs on our borrowings could increase without limitation by caps, while the interest-rate yields on our floating rate mortgage assets would effectively be limited. In addition, floating rate mortgage assets may be subject to periodic payment caps that result in some portion of the interest being deferred and added to the principal outstanding. This could result in our receipt of less cash income on such assets than we would need to pay the interest cost on our related borrowings. These factors could lower our net interest income or cause a net loss during periods of rising interest rates, which would negatively affect our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.
 
 
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Our analysis of interest rate risk is based on FIDAC’s experience, estimates, models and assumptions. These analyses rely on models which utilize estimates of fair value and interest rate sensitivity. Actual economic conditions or implementation of asset allocation decisions by our management may produce results that differ significantly from the estimates and assumptions used in our models and the projected results shown in this Form 10-K.

Interest Rate Effect on Net Interest Income

Our operating results depend, in part, on differences between the income from our investments and our borrowing costs. Most of our repurchase agreements would provide financing based on a floating rate of interest calculated on a fixed spread over LIBOR.  The fixed spread varies depending on the type of underlying asset which collateralizes the financing.  During periods of rising interest rates, the borrowing costs associated with our investments could tend to increase while the income earned on our fixed interest rate investments may remain substantially unchanged.  This will result in a narrowing of the net interest spread between the related assets and borrowings and may even result in losses. Further, during this portion of the interest rate and credit cycles, defaults could increase and result in credit losses to us, which could adversely affect our liquidity and operating results. Such delinquencies or defaults could also have an adverse effect on the spread between interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. Hedging techniques are partly based on assumed levels of prepayments of fixed-rate and hybrid adjustable-rate debt investments. If prepayments are slower or faster than assumed, the life of the debt investments will be longer or shorter, which would reduce the effectiveness of any hedging strategies we may use and may cause losses on such transactions. Hedging strategies involving the use of derivative securities are highly complex and may produce volatile returns.

Interest Rate Effects on Fair Value

Another component of interest rate risk is the effect changes in interest rates have on the fair value of the assets we acquire. We face the risk that the fair value of our assets will increase or decrease at different rates than that of our liabilities, including our hedging instruments. We primarily assess our interest rate risk by estimating the duration of our assets and the duration of our liabilities.  Duration is a measure of time and essentially measures the market price volatility of financial instruments as interest rates change. We generally calculate duration using various financial models and empirical data. Different models and methodologies can produce different durations for the same securities.

It is important to note that the impact of changing interest rates on fair value can change significantly when interest rates change beyond 100 basis points from current levels. Therefore, the volatility in the fair value of our assets could increase significantly when interest rates change beyond 100 basis points. In addition, other factors impact the fair value of our interest rate-sensitive investments and hedging instruments, such as the shape of the yield curve, market expectations as to future interest rate changes and other market conditions. Accordingly, in the event of changes in actual interest rates, the change in the fair value of our assets would likely differ from that shown below and such difference might be material and adverse to our stockholders.

Interest Rate Cap Risk

We may invest in adjustable-rate mortgage loans and CMBS. These are mortgages or CMBS in which the underlying mortgages are typically subject to periodic and lifetime interest rate caps and floors, which limit the amount by which the security's interest yield may change during any given period. However, our borrowing costs pursuant to our financing agreements will not be subject to similar restrictions. Therefore, in a period of increasing interest rates, interest rate costs on our borrowings could increase without limitation by caps, while the interest-rate yields on our adjustable-rate mortgage loans and CMBS would effectively be limited. This problem will be magnified to the extent we acquire adjustable-rate CMBS that are not based on mortgages which are fully indexed. In addition, the mortgages or the underlying mortgages in a CMBS may be subject to periodic payment caps that result in some portion of the interest being deferred and added to the principal outstanding. This could result in our receipt of less cash income on our adjustable-rate mortgages or CMBS than we need in order to pay the interest cost on our related borrowings. These factors could lower our net interest income or cause a net loss during periods of rising interest rates, which could adversely affect our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.
 
 
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Interest Rate Mismatch Risk

We may fund a portion of our acquisitions of hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages, CMBS and Agency RMBS with borrowings that, after the effect of hedging, have interest rates based on indices and repricing terms similar to, but of somewhat shorter maturities than, the interest rate indices and repricing terms of the mortgages, CMBS and Agency RMBS. Thus, we anticipate that in most cases the interest rate indices and repricing terms of our mortgage assets and our funding sources will not be identical, thereby creating an interest rate mismatch between assets and liabilities. Therefore, our cost of funds would likely rise or fall more quickly than would our earnings rate on assets. During periods of changing interest rates, such interest rate mismatches could negatively impact our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. To mitigate interest rate mismatches, we may utilize the hedging strategies discussed above. Our analysis of risks is based on FIDAC's experience, estimates, models and assumptions. These analyses rely on models which utilize estimates of fair value and interest rate sensitivity. Actual economic conditions or implementation of investment decisions by our management may produce results that differ significantly from the estimates and assumptions used in our models and the projected results shown in this Form 10-K.

Our profitability and the value of our portfolio (including interest rate swaps) may be adversely affected during any period as a result of changing interest rates. The following table quantifies the potential changes in net interest income and portfolio value should interest rates go up or down 25, 50, and 75 basis points, assuming the yield curves of the rate shocks will be parallel to each other and the current yield curve. All changes in income and value are measured as percentage changes from the projected net interest income and portfolio value at the base interest rate scenario. The base interest rate scenario assumes interest rates at December 31, 2012 and various estimates regarding prepayment and all activities are made at each level of rate shock. Actual results could differ significantly from these estimates.
 
   
Projected Percentage Change in
 
Projected Percentage Change in
Change in Interest Rate
 
Net Interest Income
 
Portfolio Fair Value
-75 Basis Points
    0.00 %(1)     1.93 %
-50 Basis Points
    0.00 %(1)     1.28 %
-25 Basis Points
    0.00 %(1)     0.64 %
Base Interest Rate
    -       -  
+25 Basis Points
    0.00 %(1)     (0.64 %)
+50 Basis Points
    0.02 %     (1.28 %)
+75 Basis Points
    0.36 %     (1.92 %)
                 
(1) Reflects considerations of floors on variable rate loans.
 

Prepayment Risk

As we receive prepayments of principal on our assets, premiums paid on such assets will be amortized against interest income. In general, an increase in prepayment rates will accelerate the amortization of purchase premiums, thereby reducing the interest income earned on the assets. Conversely, discounts on such investments are accreted into interest income. In general, an increase in prepayment rates will accelerate the accretion of purchase discounts, thereby increasing the interest income earned on our assets. For commercial real estate loans, the risk of prepayment is mitigated by call protection, which includes defeasance, yield maintenance premiums and prepayment charges.

 
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Extension Risk

FIDAC computes the projected weighted-average life of our assets based on assumptions regarding the rate at which the borrowers will prepay the underlying mortgages. In general, when a fixed-rate or hybrid adjustable-rate asset is acquired with borrowings, we may, but are not required to, enter into an interest rate swap agreement or other hedging instrument that effectively fixes our borrowing costs for a period close to the anticipated average life of the fixed-rate portion of the related assets. This strategy is designed to protect us from rising interest rates because the borrowing costs are fixed for the duration of the fixed-rate portion of the related mortgage-backed security.

If prepayment rates decrease in a rising interest rate environment, however, the life of the fixed-rate portion of the related assets could extend beyond the term of the swap agreement or other hedging instrument. This could have a negative impact on our results from operations, as borrowing costs would no longer be fixed after the end of the hedging instrument while the income earned on the hybrid adjustable-rate assets would remain fixed. This situation may also cause the market value of our hybrid adjustable-rate assets to decline, with little or no offsetting gain from the related hedging transactions. In extreme situations, we may be forced to sell assets to maintain adequate liquidity, which could cause us to incur losses.

Market Risk

Market Value Risk

Our available-for-sale securities are reflected at their estimated fair value with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported in other comprehensive income (loss). The estimated fair value of these securities fluctuates primarily due to changes in interest rates and other factors. Generally, in a rising interest rate environment, the estimated fair value of these securities would be expected to decrease; conversely, in a decreasing interest rate environment, the estimated fair value of these securities would be expected to increase. As market volatility increases or liquidity decreases, the fair value of our assets may be adversely impacted.

Real Estate Risk

Commercial property values are subject to volatility and may be affected adversely by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, national, regional and local economic conditions (which may be adversely affected by industry slowdowns and other factors); local real estate conditions (such as an oversupply of housing); changes or continued weakness in specific industry segments; construction quality, age and design; demographic factors; and retroactive changes to building or similar codes. In addition, decreases in property values reduce the value of the collateral and the potential proceeds available to a borrower to repay our loans, which could also cause us to suffer losses.

Risk Management

To the extent consistent with maintaining our REIT status, we will seek to manage risk exposure to protect our portfolio of commercial mortgage loans, CMBS, commercial real estate related securities, Agency RMBS and related debt against the credit and interest rate risks. We generally seek to manage our risk by:

 
analyzing the borrower profiles, as well as valuation and appraisal data, of the loans we acquire.  FIDAC’s resources include a proprietary portfolio management system, as well as third party software systems;

 
using FIDAC’s proprietary portfolio management system to review our CMBS, Agency RMBS and other commercial real estate-related securities;

 
monitoring and adjusting, if necessary, the reset index and interest rate related to our targeted assets and our financings;

 
attempting to structure our financing agreements to have a range of different maturities, terms, amortizations and interest rate adjustment periods;
 
 
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using derivatives, financial futures, swaps, options, caps, floors and forward sales to adjust the interest rate sensitivity of our targeted assets and our borrowings;

 
using securitization financing to lower average cost of funds relative to short-term financing vehicles further allowing us to receive the benefit of attractive terms for an extended period of time in contrast to short term financing and maturity dates of the assets included in the securitization; and

 
actively managing, on an aggregate basis, the interest rate indices, interest rate adjustment periods, and gross reset margins of our targeted assets and the interest rate indices and adjustment periods of our financings.

Our efforts to manage our assets and liabilities are concerned with the timing and magnitude of the repricing of assets and liabilities. We attempt to control risks associated with interest rate movements. Methods for evaluating interest rate risk include an analysis of our interest rate sensitivity "gap", which is the difference between interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities maturing or repricing within a given time period. A gap is considered positive when the amount of interest-rate sensitive assets exceeds the amount of interest-rate sensitive liabilities. A gap is considered negative when the amount of interest-rate sensitive liabilities exceeds interest-rate sensitive assets. During a period of rising interest rates, a negative gap would tend to adversely affect net interest income, while a positive gap would tend to result in an increase in net interest income. During a period of falling interest rates, a negative gap would tend to result in an increase in net interest income, while a positive gap would tend to affect net interest income adversely. Because different types of assets and liabilities with the same or similar maturities may react differently to changes in overall market rates or conditions, changes in interest rates may affect net interest income positively or negatively even if an institution were perfectly matched in each maturity category.

The following table sets forth the estimated maturity or repricing of our interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities at December 31, 2012. The amounts of assets and liabilities shown within a particular period were determined in accordance with the contractual terms of the assets and liabilities, except adjustable-rate loans are included in the period in which their interest rates are first scheduled to adjust and not in the period in which they mature and include the effect of the interest rate swaps. The interest rate sensitivity of our assets and liabilities in the following table could vary substantially based on actual prepayment experience.
 
   
Within 3
     3-12    
1 Year to
   
Greater than
       
   
Months
   
Months
   
3 Years
   
3 Years
   
Total
 
                                 
Rate sensitive assets, principal balance
  $ 222,614     $ 33,473     $ 147,085     $ 373,822     $ 776,994  
Cash and cash equivalents
    123,543       -       -       -       123,543  
Total rate sensitive assets
    346,157       33,473       147,085       373,822       900,537  
                                         
Rate sensitive liabilities
    2,550       -       -       16,600       19,150  
                                         
Interest rate sensitivity gap
  $ 343,607     $ 33,473     $ 147,085     $ 357,222     $ 881,387  
                                         
Cumulative rate sensitivity gap
  $ 343,607     $ 377,080     $ 524,165     $ 881,387          
                                         
Cumulative interest rate sensitivity
                                       
   gap as a percentage of total rate
                                       
   sensitive assets
    38.16 %     41.87 %     58.21 %     97.87 %        
 
Our analysis of risks is based on our manager's experience, estimates, models and assumptions. These analyses rely on models which utilize estimates of fair value and interest rate sensitivity. Actual economic conditions or implementation of investment decisions by our manager may produce results that differ significantly from the estimates and assumptions used in our models and the projected results shown in the above tables and in this Form 10-K. These analyses contain certain forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor statement set forth under the heading, "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."
 
 
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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Our consolidated financial statements and the related notes, together with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm thereon, are set forth beginning on page F-1 of this Form 10-K.

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

None.

Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures

The Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (the “CFO”), reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this annual report. Based on that review and evaluation, the CEO and CFO have concluded that our current disclosure controls and procedures, as designed and implemented, (1) were effective in ensuring that information regarding the Company and its subsidiaries is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our CEO and CFO, by our employees, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and (2) were effective in providing reasonable assurance that information the Company must disclose in its periodic reports under the Securities Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods prescribed by the SEC's rules and forms.
 
There have been no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2012 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
 
Management Report On Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
 
Management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting.  Internal control over financial reporting is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act as a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers and effected by the Company’s Board of Directors, management and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and includes those policies and procedures that:
 
   •    pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company;

   •    provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and

   •    provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.  As a result, even systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance regarding the preparation and presentation of financial statements.  Moreover, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
 
The Company’s management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012.  In making this assessment, the Company’s management used criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (or COSO) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework.
 
Based on management’s assessment, the Company’s management determined that, as of December 31, 2012, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective based on those criteria.  The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst and Young LLP, has issued an attestation report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.  This report appears on page F-2 of this annual report on Form 10-K.
 
 
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Item 9B.  Other Information

None.


Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

Directors

We have three classes of directors.  Our class I directors serve until our annual meeting of stockholders in 2013; our class II directors serve until our annual meeting of stockholders in 2014; and our class III director serves until our annual meeting of stockholders in 2015.  Set forth below are the names and certain information on each of our directors.

Class I Directors

Patrick Corcoran, age 66, is one of our Class I Directors and our Nonexecutive Chairman of the Board of Directors and has been a member of our board of directors from September 2009.  From July 2006 to August, 2012, Dr. Corcoran was director of Central Michigan University’s real estate development and finance program. From November 1997 to April 2005, Dr. Corcoran served as the head of commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) research at J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. Prior to that, Dr. Corcoran held senior positions at Nomura Securities International Inc., the Prudential Insurance Co. of America and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Dr. Corcoran also has been a frequent lecturer on real estate at many universities throughout the U.S., as well as a speaker and panelist at many conferences for national and international organizations.  None of the corporations or organization that have employed Dr. Corcoran during the past five years is a parent, subsidiary or other affiliate of us.  Dr. Corcoran has a Master’s degree in economics, a Master’s degree in mathematical statistics, and a Doctoral degree in economics, each from the University of Michigan.

The Board believes that Dr. Corcoran’s qualifications include, among other things, his significant experience in the financial services industry and knowledge of the commercial real estate and finance industries.

Nancy Jo Kuenstner, age 59, is one of our Class I Directors and has been a member of our board of directors since September 2009. Ms. Kuenstner has more than 30 years of experience in banking and finance including a decade each at JP Morgan and Citibank and, including as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a director of The Law Debenture Trust Company of New York from March 2001 through December 2008.  Since May 2011, Ms. Kuenstner has served as member of the board of directors of EOS Preferred Corporation.  Ms. Kuenstner serves as a trustee of Lafayette College and Secretary of its Board of Directors and ex-officio member of its investment committee.  None of the corporations or organization that have employed Ms. Kuenstner during the past five years is a parent, subsidiary or other affiliate of us. Ms. Kuenstner has an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Lafayette College.

The Board believes that Ms. Kuenstner’s qualifications include, among other things, her prior experience as a senior executive and director of another company and knowledge of the banking and finance industries.

Class II Directors

Robert B. Eastep, CPA, age 49, is one of our Class II Directors and has been a member of our board of directors since September 2009.  Since October 2012, Mr. Eastep has served as President of Union Mortgage Group.  Union Mortgage Group is a non-bank affiliate of Union First Market Bankshares.  From May 2010 to October 2012, Mr. Eastep served as Vice President and Chief Accounting officer for Central Virginia Bankshares, Inc., a NASDAQ listed community bank headquartered in Powhatan, VA.  Mr. Eastep  was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in March 2011.  From June 2008 until June 2010 Mr. Eastep was an instructor in U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the accounting and financial training firm GAAP Seminars. Since January 2007, Mr. Eastep has also been Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Sports Management, LLC, a private business consulting firm. From 1999 to December 2006, Mr. Eastep served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Saxon Capital, Inc., a NYSE listed real estate investment trust that was a residential mortgage lender and servicer prior to its sale to Morgan Stanley. From 1998 to 1999, Mr. Eastep served as Director of Internal Audit for Cadmus Communications Corporation and from 1996 to 1998 he was Vice President - Finance Manger of General Accounting for Wachovia (formerly Central Fidelity Bankshares). From 1986 to 1996, Mr. Eastep was a Senior Manager (Financial Services Audit Practice) for KPMG Peat Marwick LLP where he directed numerous SEC audit engagements and served as a member of KPMG's Regulatory Advisory Practice for financial institutions. Mr. Eastep has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concentration in Accounting, from West Virginia University and a Certificate of Professional Achievement in Financial Management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University.

 
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The Board believes that Mr. Eastep’s qualifications include, among other things, his experience as a chief financial officer and his financial and accounting expertise.

Kevin Riordan, age 57, is our President and Chief Executive Officer, and one of our Class II Directors and has been our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors since June 2009. He is also a Managing Director for FIDAC and Annaly Capital Management, Inc., or Annaly. Mr. Riordan joined FIDAC and Annaly in May 2008 as a Director and became a Managing Director for FIDAC and Annaly in June 2009. In his over 25 years of experience, Mr. Riordan held various positions in the financing, investing and securitization of commercial real estate. From February 2007 to April 2008, Mr. Riordan was a portfolio manager with Dominion Capital Management LLC. Prior to joining Dominion Capital Management LLC, Mr. Riordan spent over 20 years with TIAA-CREF. At TIAA-CREF, he was a group managing director, responsible for the oversight of their multi-billion commercial real estate securities portfolio which included CMBS and collateralized debt obligation (CDO) securities, REIT debt, REIT common and preferred stock, and the origination of small balance commercial mortgage loans.  Mr. Riordan has been during the past five years and is currently employed at an affiliate of us.  Mr. Riordan is a CPA and received a Bachelors Degree in accounting from Rutgers-Newark College of Arts and Sciences and an M.B.A. in finance from Seton Hall University.

The Board believes that Mr. Riordan’s qualifications include, among other things, his significant industry knowledge and experience and his current position as our Chief Executive Officer and President provides him with knowledge of our long term strategy and operations.

Class III Director

Ronald Kazel, age 45, is our Class III Director and has been a member of our board of directors since June 2009.  Mr. Kazel is a Managing Director for FIDAC and Annaly.  He also serves as chairman of the board of directors of Merganser Capital Management, Inc., an SEC registered investment advisor that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly.  From January 2006 to December 2012 he also served as Head of the Asset Management Group for Annaly and FIDAC.  Mr. Kazel joined these companies in December 2001 as an Executive Vice President and became a Managing Director for FIDAC and Annaly in January 2006.  Before joining Annaly and FIDAC, Mr. Kazel was a Senior Vice President in Friedman Billings Ramsey’s financial services investment banking group. From 1991 to 1996, Mr. Kazel served as a Vice President at Sandler O’Neill & Partners.   Mr. Kazel has been during the past five years and is currently employed at an affiliate of us.  Mr. Kazel has a Bachelor of Science in finance and management from New York University.

The Board believes that Mr. Kazel’s qualifications include, among other things, his experience at Annaly and our Manager and knowledge of the fixed income and mortgage-backed securities markets.
 
 
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Executive Officers

The following sets forth certain information with respect to our named executive officers:

Name
Age
Position Held with Us
Kevin Riordan
57
Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
Jeffrey Conti
54
Head of Commercial Underwriting
Robert Karner
51
Global Head of Debt Investments
Robert Restrick
48
Chief Operating Officer
Daniel Wickey
46
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
 
Biographical information on Mr. Riordan is provided above. Certain biographical information for Messrs. Conti, Karner, Restrick, Wickey and DeCicco is set forth below.

 Jeffrey Conti is our Head of Underwriting and an Executive Vice President for FIDAC. Mr. Conti joined FIDAC in June 2009 and has served as Executive Vice President and our Head of Underwriting since that time. Before joining FIDAC, Mr. Conti spent two years with Prudential Real Estate Investors, where he was a Vice President responsible for real estate equity originations, transaction structuring and asset management. Prior to joining Prudential Real Estate Investors, Mr. Conti was a Managing Director in the Fixed Income and Real Estate Group of TIAA-CREF where he was a Regional Head of Commercial Mortgage Originations. Over his 20-year career at TIAA-CREF, Mr. Conti also served in various capacities in real estate acquisitions, portfolio management, loan surveillance and restructuring, and the loan closing process. Mr. Conti received a Bachelors Degree in accounting from Rider College and a Diploma in real estate from New York University.

Robert Karner is our Global Head of Debt Investments and an Executive Vice President for FIDAC. Before joining FIDAC in August 2009, Mr. Karner most recently served as an Executive Director and Co-head of Morgan Stanley’s domestic CMBS Syndication desk from 2006-2008 with responsibilities for the marketing and distribution of the CMBS and commercial real estate CDO production to a wide variety of investors. Prior to commencing his employment on Morgan Stanley’s CMBS desk in 1998, Mr. Karner held a variety of positions as a CMBS portfolio manager at Allstate Insurance Company, project manager with GE Capital and commercial mortgage originator with the Principal Financial Group. Mr. Karner has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and an MS in Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin.  Mr. Karner serves on the advisory board of the Graaskamp Center for Real Estate at the University of Wisconsin. He currently chairs the portfolio lenders forum of CREFC.

Robert Restrick is our Chief Operating Officer and an Executive Vice President for FIDAC. Mr. Restrick joined FIDAC in April 2010.  From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Restrick served as Head of Structured Products Group and Portfolio Management for CWCapital Investments LLC with responsibilities for managing the investment management platform and overseeing commercial real estate loans and investments. From 2004 to 2010, Mr. Restrick served as a Senior Managing Director of CWCapital Investments LLC and from 2004 to 2008 was Co-Head of the Capital Markets Conduit of CWCapital Investments LLC. Prior to commencing his employment with CWCapital Investments LLC, Mr. Restrick was a Senior Vice President of GMAC Commercial Capital from 1998 to 2004. Mr. Restrick has also held a variety of positions related to CMBS investments and research at Pentalpha Capital, LLC, Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley. Mr. Restrick has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Bucknell University and an MBA in Finance from the Rutgers University, Graduate School of Management.

Daniel Wickey has served as our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since June 2009. He has also served as Executive Vice President of Accounting for FIDAC and Annaly since July 2009. He is also Treasurer for Merganser Capital Management Inc. and has served in this role since October 2008. He joined FIDAC and Annaly in June 2004 as Vice President. Mr. Wickey heads the accounting team for FIDAC and assists in accounting for Annaly. Prior to joining the companies he was at Pershing LLC as an Accounting Supervisor in the Corporate Accounting group from 1996 to 2004. Mr. Wickey has a Bachelors Degree in business studies from Richard Stockton State College.
 
 
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Corporate Governance

We believe that we have implemented effective corporate governance policies and observe good corporate governance procedures and practices.  We have adopted a number of written policies, including corporate governance guidelines, code of business conduct and ethics, and charters for our audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee.

Board Oversight of Risk

 The board of directors is responsible for overseeing our risk management practices and committees of the board of directors assist it in fulfilling this responsibility.

As required by its charter, the audit committee routinely discusses with management our significant risk exposures and the actions management has taken to limit, monitor or control such exposures, including guidelines and policies with respect to our assessment of risk and risk management. At least annually, the audit committee reviews with management our risk management program which identifies and quantifies a broad spectrum of enterprise-wide risks, and related action plans.  In 2012, our full board of directors participated in this review and discussion and expects to continue this practice as part of its role in the oversight of our risk management practices.  In addition, our Manager’s employees report to the audit committee on various matters related to our risk exposures on a regular basis or more frequently if appropriate.  At their discretion, members of the board of directors may also directly contact management to review and discuss any risk-related or other concerns that may arise between regular meetings.

Our board of directors reviewed with the compensation committee its compensation policies and practices applicable to our Manager that could affect our assessment of risk and risk management.  Following such review, our board of directors determined that our compensation policies and practices, pursuant to which we pay no cash compensation to our Manager’s employees since they are compensated by our Manager, do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.  Our board of directors also considered that while we may grant our Manager’s employees equity awards, such grants align their interests with our interests and do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.  As part of this risk assessment and management activities going forward, our board of directors also determined that it would undertake an annual review of our compensation policies and practices as they relate to risk.

Board Leadership Structure

 We have separated the roles of principal executive officer and chairman of the board.  Our principal executive officer is Kevin Riordan, who is our Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director.  Our chairman of the board of directors is Patrick Corcoran, who is an independent director.  The board of directors believes this allocation of responsibilities between these two positions provides for dynamic board leadership while maintaining strong independence and is therefore an effective and appropriate leadership structure.

Board Committees and Charters

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which sets forth the basic principles and guidelines for resolving various legal and ethical questions that may arise in the workplace and in the conduct of our business.   This code is applicable to all our employees, officers and directors, as well as to our Manager’s officers, directors and employees when such individuals are acting for or on our behalf.

We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics within the meaning of Item 406 of Regulation S-K. This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is publicly available on our website at www.crexusinvestment.com. If we make substantive amendments to this Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, we intend to disclose these events on our website.
 
 
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Corporate Governance Guidelines

We have adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines which, in conjunction with the charters and key practices of our board committees, provide the framework for the governance of our company.

Other Charters

Our compensation committee, audit committee and nominating and corporate governance committee have also adopted written charters which govern their conduct.

Where You Can Find These Documents

Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Corporate Governance Principles, Compensation Committee Charter, Audit Committee Charter and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter are available on our website (www.crexusinvestment.com).  We will provide copies of these documents free of charge to any stockholder who sends a written request to Investor Relations, CreXus Investment Corp., 1211 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2902, New York, New York 10036.

Compensation Committee

Our board of directors has established a compensation committee, which is composed of each of our independent directors, Dr. Corcoran, Mr. Eastep, and Ms. Kuenstner.  Dr. Corcoran chairs the compensation committee, whose principal functions are to:

 
evaluate the performance of our officers;
 
evaluate the performance of our Manager;
 
review the compensation and fees payable to our Manager under our management
agreement;
 
 
recommend to the board of directors the compensation for our independent directors; and
 
administer the issuance of any securities under our equity incentive plan to our executives or the employees of our Manager.

For additional information on the compensation committee, please see “Compensation Committee Report” below.

Audit Committee

Our board of directors has established an audit committee, which is composed of each of our independent directors, Dr. Corcoran, Mr. Eastep, and Ms. Kuenstner.  Mr. Eastep chairs our audit committee and serves as our audit committee financial expert, as that term is defined by the SEC.  Each of the members of the audit committee is “financially literate” under the rules of the NYSE.  The committee assists the board in overseeing:

 
our accounting and financial reporting processes;
 
the integrity and audits of our consolidated financial statements;
 
our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;
 
the qualifications and independence of our independent registered public accounting firm; and
 
the performance of our independent registered public accounting firm.

The audit committee is also responsible for engaging our independent registered public accounting firm, reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the plans and results of the audit engagement, approving professional services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm, reviewing the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm, considering the range of audit and non-audit fees and reviewing the adequacy of our internal accounting controls.
 
Our board of directors has determined that all of the directors serving on the audit committee are independent members of the audit committee under the current NYSE independence requirements and SEC rules.  The activities of the audit committee are described in greater detail below under the caption “Report of the Audit Committee.”
 
 
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Our board of directors has established a nominating and corporate governance committee, which is composed of each of our independent directors, Dr. Corcoran, Mr. Eastep, and Ms. Kuenstner.  Ms. Kuenstner chairs the committee, which is responsible for seeking, considering and recommending to the full board of directors qualified candidates for election as directors and recommending a slate of nominees for election as directors at the annual meeting of stockholders.  It also periodically prepares and submits to the board for adoption the nominating and corporate governance committee’s selection criteria for director nominees.  It reviews and makes recommendations on matters involving general operation of the board and our corporate governance, and annually recommends to the board nominees for each committee of the board.  In addition, the nominating and corporate governance committee annually facilitates the assessment of the board of directors’ performance as a whole and of the individual directors and reports thereon to the board.

Our board of directors has determined that all of the directors serving on the nominating and corporate governance committee are independent members of the nominating and corporate governance committee under the current NYSE independence requirements and SEC rules.

Our nominating and corporate governance committee currently considers the following factors in making its recommendations to the board of directors:  background, skills, expertise, accessibility and availability to serve effectively on the board of directors.  Our nominating and corporate governance committee also conducts inquiries into the background and qualifications of potential candidates.  Although the nominating and corporate governance committee does not have a formal diversity policy, it believes that diversity is an important factor in determining the composition of the board of directors. Additionally, the committee believes that it is critical to have a board of directors with diverse backgrounds in various areas as this contributes to our success and is in the best interests of our stockholders.  The nominating and corporate governance committee will consider nominees recommended by our stockholders.  These recommendations should be submitted in writing to our Secretary.

Our nominating and corporate governance committee uses a variety of methods for identifying and evaluating nominees for director. Our nominating and corporate governance committee regularly assesses the appropriate size of the board of directors, and whether any vacancies on the board of directors are expected due to retirement or otherwise. In the event that vacancies are anticipated, or otherwise arise, our nominating and corporate governance committee considers various potential candidates for director.  Candidates may come to the attention of our nominating and corporate governance committee through current members of our board of directors, professional search firms, stockholders or other persons. These candidates are evaluated at regular or special meetings of our nominating and corporate governance committee, and may be considered at any point during the year. As described above, our nominating and corporate governance committee considers properly submitted stockholder nominations for candidates for the board of directors.  Following verification of the stockholder status of persons proposing candidates, recommendations are aggregated and considered by our nominating and corporate governance committee at a regularly scheduled or special meeting.  If any materials are provided by a stockholder in connection with the nomination of a director candidate, such materials are forwarded to our nominating and corporate governance committee. Our nominating and corporate governance committee also reviews materials provided by professional search firms or other parties in connection with a nominee who is not proposed by a stockholder.  In evaluating such nominations, our nominating and corporate governance committee seeks to achieve a balance of knowledge, experience and capability on the board of directors.

Special Committee of the Board of Directors

During 2012, our board of directors established a special committee.  The special committee is composed of each of our independent directors, Dr. Corcoran, Mr. Eastep, and Ms. Kuenstner.  Ms. Kuenstner chairs the special committee.  The special committee was formed to consider Annaly’s proposal to acquire the shares of CreXus that Annaly does not already own, our response to the proposal, and whether Annaly’s proposal or any other transaction should be approved or consummated.   The special committee has retained independent advisors, including an independent financial advisor and independent legal counsel, to assist in its work.

 
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Communications with the Board of Directors

Interested persons may communicate their comments, complaints or concerns by sending written communications to the board of directors, committees of the board of directors and individual directors by mailing those communications to:

CreXus Investment Corp.
[Applicable Addressee*]
1211 Avenue of the Americas
Suite 2902
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 1-877-291-3453
Facsimile: (212) 696-9809
Email: investor@crexusinvestment.com
Attention: Investor Relations

*           Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
*           Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors
*           Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors
*           Non-Management Directors
*           Special Committee of the Board of Directors
*           Name of individual director

These communications are sent by us directly to the specified addressee.

We require each member of the board of directors to attend our annual meeting of stockholders except for absences due to causes beyond the reasonable control of the director.  We had five directors at the time of our 2012 annual meeting of stockholders and all five attended the meeting.

Board and Committee Meetings

Our board of directors held sixteen meetings in 2012.  During 2012, the compensation committee held three meetings, the audit committee held nine meetings, the nominating and corporate governance committee held two meetings and the special committee held 14 meetings .  Each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings held by our board of directors and 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of each committee on which the director served.

Meetings of Non-Management Directors

Our corporate governance guidelines require that the board have at least two regularly scheduled meetings each year for our non-management directors.  These meetings, which are designed to promote unfettered discussions among our non-management directors, are presided over by Patrick Corcoran or Nancy Jo Kuenstner.  During 2012, our non-management directors held four meetings.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

We believe that based solely upon our review of copies of forms we have received or written representations from reporting persons, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, all filing requirements under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, applicable to our officers, directors and beneficial owners of more than ten percent of our common stock were complied with on a timely basis.

 
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Item 11.  Executive Compensation

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Our Compensation Discussion and Analysis describes our compensation program, objectives and policies for the executive officers required under item 402(a)(3) of Regulation S-K (“named executive officers”) and our executive officers generally.

Overview of Compensation Program and Philosophy

We have no employees. We are externally managed by our Manager pursuant to a management agreement between our Manager and us. All of our named executive officers are employees of our Manager. We have not paid, and do not intend to pay, any cash compensation to our named executive officers.  We do not provide our named executive officers with pension benefits, perquisites or other personal benefits to them.  We have no arrangements to make payments to our named executive officers upon their termination from service as our officers. While we do not pay our named executive officers any cash compensation, our Compensation Committee may grant our named executive officers equity awards intended the align their interests with our interests.

Cash and Other Compensation

Our named executive officers and other personnel who conduct our regular business are employees of our manager. Accordingly, we do not pay or accrue any salaries or bonuses to our officers.

Equity-Based Compensation

Our Compensation Committee may, from time to time, grant equity awards in the form of restricted stock, stock options or other types of awards to our named executive officers pursuant to our equity incentive plan. These awards are designed to align the interests of our named executive officers with those of our stockholders, by allowing our named executive officers to share in the creation of value for our stockholders through stock appreciation and dividends. These equity awards are generally subject to vesting requirements over a number of years, and are designed to promote the retention of management and to achieve strong performance for our company. These awards further provide flexibility to us in our ability to enable our Manager to attract, motivate and retain talented individuals at our Manager.  Each independent director was granted 3,000 shares of our common stock on September 30, 2009. Each independent director was granted 3,472 deferred stock units of our common stock on May 24, 2012. Other than the 19,416 shares of common stock issued to our independent directors under our equity incentive plan, no awards have been made under our equity incentive plan.

We believe our compensation policies are particularly appropriate since we are an externally managed real estate investment trust, or REIT.  REIT regulations require us to pay at least 90% of our earnings to stockholders as dividends.  As a result, we believe that our stockholders are principally interested in receiving attractive risk-adjusted dividends and growth in dividends and book value.  Accordingly, we want to provide an incentive to our directors and management that rewards success in achieving these goals.  Since we do not have the ability to retain earnings, we believe that equity-based awards serve to align the interests of our Manager’s employees with the interests of our stockholders in receiving attractive risk-adjusted dividends and growth.  Additionally, we believe that equity-based awards are consistent with our stockholders’ interest in book value growth as these individuals will be incentivized to grow book value for stockholders over time.  We believe that this alignment of interests provides an incentive to our Manager’s employees to implement strategies that will enhance our long-term performance and promote growth in dividends and growth in book value.

Our equity incentive plan permits the granting of options to purchase shares of common stock intended to qualify as incentive stock options under the Internal Revenue Code, and stock options that do not qualify as incentive stock options.  The exercise price of each stock option may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of our shares of common stock on the date of grant.  The compensation committee will determine the terms of each option, including when each option may be exercised and the period of time, if any, after retirement, death, disability or termination of employment during which options may be exercised.  Options become vested and exercisable in installments and the exercisability of options may be accelerated by the compensation committee.
 
 
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Our equity incentive plan also permits the granting of shares of our common stock in the form of restricted common stock.  A restricted common stock award is an award of shares of common stock that may be subject to forfeiture (vesting), restrictions on transferability and such other restrictions, if any, as the compensation committee may impose at the date of grant.  The shares may vest and the restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances, including, without limitation, a specified period of employment or the satisfaction of pre-established criteria, in such installments or otherwise, as our compensation committee may determine.

We may also grant unrestricted shares of common stock, which are shares of common stock awarded at no cost to the participant or for a purchase price determined by the compensation committee, under our equity incentive plan.  The compensation committee may also grant shares of our common stock, stock appreciation rights, dividend equivalent rights, and other stock and non-stock-based awards under the equity incentive plan.  These awards may be subject to such conditions and restrictions as the compensation committee may determine, including, but not limited to, the achievement of certain goals or continued employment with us through a specific period.  Each award under the plan may not be exercisable more than 10 years after the date of grant.

Our equity incentive plan provides that the compensation committee has the discretion to provide that all or any outstanding options and stock appreciation rights will become fully exercisable, all or any outstanding stock awards will become vested and transferable and all or any outstanding options and awards will be earned, all or any outstanding awards may be cancelled in exchange for a payment of cash or all or any outstanding awards may be substituted for awards that will substantially preserve the otherwise applicable terms of any affected awards previously granted under the equity incentive plan if there is a change in control of us.

The compensation committee does not use a specific formula to calculate the number of equity awards and other rights awarded to executives under our equity incentive plan.  The compensation committee does not explicitly set future award levels/opportunities on the basis of what the executives earned from prior awards. While the compensation committee will take past awards into account, it will not solely base future awards in view of those past awards.  Generally, in determining the specific amounts to be granted to an individual, the compensation committee will take into account factors such as the individual’s position, his or her contribution to our company, market practices as well as the recommendations of our Manager.

We have not and do not intend to either backdate stock options or grant stock options retroactively.  Presently, we do not have designated dates on which we grant stock option awards.  We do not intend to time stock options grants with our release of material nonpublic information for the purpose of affecting the value of executive compensation.

Tax Considerations

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the Code, generally disallows a tax deduction to public corporations for compensation, other than performance-based compensation, over $1 million paid to the chief executive officer and next four highest compensated executive officers to the extent that compensation of a particular executive exceeds $1 million in any one year.  There are certain exceptions for qualified performance-based compensation in accordance with the Code and corresponding regulations. We expect our equity plan awards paid to our executive officers will qualify as performance-based compensation deductible for federal income tax purposes under Section 162(m), but do not expect any non-performance based equity awards such as time vested restricted stock or stock units to qualify for such treatment. However, given the fact that we are presently externally managed by our external manager and the only compensation that currently may be paid to our executive officers are long-term incentive awards pursuant to our equity incentive plan, it is unlikely that Section 162(m) will have any material effect on us.

Consideration of “Say on Pay” and “Say on Frequency” Voting Results

The compensation committee considered the results of the advisory stockholder “say on pay vote” at our 2012 annual meeting of stockholders in making compensation decisions for 2012.  Because our stockholders approved our compensation program as described in our 2012 proxy statement, the compensation committee believes that stockholders support our compensation policies.  Therefore, the compensation committee continued to apply the same principles in determining the amounts and types of executive compensation for 2012.
 
 
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The board of directors has considered the appropriate frequency of future non-binding advisory votes regarding compensation awarded to its named executive officers.  Among other factors, the board of directors considered the voting results at our 2012 annual meeting of stockholders with respect to the non-binding advisory vote regarding the frequency of non-binding advisory votes regarding compensation awarded to its named executive officers.  The board of directors has determined that future non-binding advisory votes regarding compensation awarded to its named executive officers will be submitted to our stockholders on an annual basis.

Compensation Committee Report

The Compensation Committee of the Company has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K with management and, based on such review and discussions, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Patrick Corcoran                                           Nancy Jo Kuenstner                                                      Robert Eastep
 
Summary Compensation Table

We did not pay any compensation of any sort to our named executive officers during the year ended December 31, 2012.  We do not provide any of our executive officers with any cash compensation, pension benefits, or do we provide any executive officers with nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

Name and Principal Position
Year
Total
Kevin Riordan
2012
$0
Chief Executive Officer and President
2011
$0
 
2010
$0
Daniel Wickey
2012
$0
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
2011
$0
 
2010
$0
Robert Restrick
2012 $0
Chief Operating Officer
2011 $0
  2010 $0
Robert Karner
2012
$0
Global Head of Debt Investments
2011
$0
 
2010
$0
Jeffrey Conti
2012
$0
Head of Commercial Underwriting
2011
$0
 
2010
$0

Grants of Plan Based Awards in 2012

We did not grant any shares of restricted stock, options or other incentive compensation to our named executive officers during the year ended December 31, 2012.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

As of December 31, 2012, there were no outstanding awards of equity made to our named executive officers.
 
 
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Options Exercised and Stock Vested

As of December 31, 2012, we had not issued any outstanding options to purchase shares of common stock to our named executive officers.  No options to purchase shares of our common stock or restricted shares of common stock for any of our named executive officers vested in 2012.

Pension Benefits

We do not provide any of our named executive officers with pension benefits.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

We do not provide any of our named executive officers with any nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

Potential Payments Upon Termination Of Employment

We do not have any employment agreements with any of our named executive officers and are not obligated to make any payments to them upon termination of employment.

Potential Post-Employment Payments and Payments on a Change in Control

We do not have any employment agreements with any of our named executive officers and are not obligated to make any post-employment payments to them or any payments upon a change of control.

Compensation Policies and Practices as They Relate to Risk Management

We did not pay any compensation of any sort to our named executive officers and did not have any employees during the year ended December 31, 2012 and, therefore, our compensation policies and practices are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.  We pay our Manager a management fee that is a percentage of our stockholders’ equity.  This management fee is not tied to our performance and, as a result, we believe this management fee is not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.  We have designed our compensation policies and practices and the incentives established by the policies and practices, as such policies and practices relate to or affect risk taking by our Manager on our behalf, in a manner that we believe will not cause our Manager to seek to make higher risk investments as the compensation payable to our Manager avoids placing undue emphasis on the maximization of net income at the expense of other criteria, such as preservation of capital, to achieve higher management fees.  We have designed our compensation policy in an effort to provide the proper incentives to our Manager’s employees to maximize our performance in order to serve the best interests of our stockholders.  Our board of directors monitors our compensation policies and practices to determine whether its risk management objectives are being met with respect to incentivizing our Manager’s employees.

Director Compensation

We compensate only those directors who are independent under the NYSE listing standards.  Any member of our board of directors who is also an employee of our Manager is not considered independent under the NYSE listing standards and does not receive additional compensation for serving on our board of directors.

For 2012, each independent director received an annual fee for their services of $50,000.  The chair of our audit committee receives an additional annual fee of $10,000 for his service in such capacity.  The chair of our board of directors receives an additional annual fee of $5,000 for his service in such capacity.  The chairs of each of our compensation committee and our nominating and corporate governance committee each receives an additional annual fee of $5,000 for his or her service in such capacity. The members of the special committee each receive $60,000 for serving on such committee with the chair of the special committee receiving an additional $30,000. We also reimburse our directors for their travel expenses incurred in connection with their attendance at full board and committee meetings.  Our independent directors are eligible to receive restricted common stock, option and other stock-based awards under our equity incentive plan.
 
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In addition, each independent director receives an annual grant of $35,000 in deferred stock units, or DSUs, on the date of each annual stockholders meeting at which he or she is serving as one of our directors.  Each DSU will be equivalent in value to one common share.  DSUs will be granted on the date of the annual stockholders meeting and vest immediately.  DSUs will be converted to common shares unless the director elects to defer the settlement of the DSUs to a later date pursuant to an election compliant with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code.  DSUs will not have voting rights.  DSUs pay dividend equivalents in either cash or additional DSUs at the election of the director.
 
During 2012, our Compensation Committee, together with Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc, a nationally-recognized compensation consulting firm (“F. W. Cook”), reviewed the components of the compensation arrangements offered to our independent directors.  As part of this process, our Compensation Committee considered, among other things, the duties and responsibilities associated with their positions and emerging trends and best practices in director compensation.  During 2012, the special committee of our board of directors also retained F.W. Cook to review the amount and components of compensation arrangements that the members of the special committee would receive as compensation for serving on such committee.  During 2013, the special committee also retained FTI Consulting, Inc., a nationally-recognized compensation consulting firm, to provide additional advice on the amount and components of compensation arrangements that the members of the special committee would receive as compensation for serving on such committee.

The table below summarizes the compensation paid by us to our non-employee directors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.
 
Name
 
Fees
Earned
or Paid in
Cash ($)
   
Stock
Awards
($)
   
Option
Awards
   
Non-
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compen-
sation
   
Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compen-
sation
Earnings
   
All Other
Compen-
sation
   
Total
 
Patrick Corcoran
  $ 110,000       34,998       -       -       -       -     $ 144,998  
Robert Eastep
  $ 110,000       34,998       -       -       -       -     $ 144,998  
Nancy Jo Kuenstner
  $ 135,000       34,998       -       -       -       -     $ 169,998  
 
Stock Ownership Guidelines
 
We have also adopted a stock ownership guideline for our independent directors that specifies that each independent director should strive to own common stock which is three times their annual cash retainer.  Shares counting toward the guideline include shares that are owned outright, DSUs, and any other shares held in deferral accounts.  To facilitate achievement of the guideline, we have adopted and implemented a “retention ratio” that requires that until the specified ownership level is achieved, independent directors are required to retain and hold 50% of the net profit shares from DSUs.  Net profit shares are shares remaining after payment of income taxes upon settlement of the DSUs.  The independent directors are not required to make out-of-pocket purchases of stock to achieve the guideline; rather, the existing director equity compensation program would enable them to achieve the required ownership levels over time.

The Compensation Committee will, on an ongoing basis, continue to examine and assess our director compensation practices relative to our compensation philosophy and objectives, as well as competitive market practices and total stockholder returns, and will make modifications to the compensation programs, as deemed appropriate.
 
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

Our compensation committee is comprised solely of the following independent directors:  Dr. Corcoran, Mr. Eastep, and Ms. Kuenstner.  None of them is serving or has served as an officer or employee of us or any affiliate or has any other business relationship or affiliation with us, except his or her service as a director, and there are no other compensation committee interlocks that are required to be reported under the rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 
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Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The following table sets forth certain information as of February 20, 2013 relating to the beneficial ownership of our common stock by (i) each of our named executive officers and directors, (ii) all of our executive officers and directors as a group and (iii) all persons that we know beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding common stock.   Knowledge of the beneficial ownership of our common stock is drawn from statements filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended.  Except as otherwise indicated, to our knowledge, each stockholder listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned by the stockholder.

Unless otherwise indicated, all shares are owned directly.  Except as indicated in the footnotes to the table below, the business address of the stockholders listed below is the address of our principal executive office, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2902, New York, New York 10036.

Name of Beneficial Owner
 
Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
 
Percent of
Class
Kevin Riordan(1)
    17,041     *  
Jeffrey Conti(2)
    7,271     *  
Robert Karner(3)
    65,000     *  
Robert Restrick(4)
    0     *  
Daniel Wickey(5)
    750     *  
Patrick Corcoran(6)
    11,472     *  
Robert Eastep(7)
    11,025     *  
Ronald Kazel(8)
    25,175     *  
Nancy Jo Kuenstner(9)
    14,472     *  
All Directors, Director Nominee and Officers As a Group
    152,206     *  
Annaly Capital Management, Inc.(10)
    9,527,778     12.4 %
Wells Fargo & Company(11)
    5,203,303     6.82 %
BlackRock, Inc. (12)
    4,608,738     6.02 %
*  Less than 1 percent.
(1)
Mr. Riordan is our Chief Executive Officer, President and one of our directors.
(2)
Mr. Conti is our Head of Commercial Underwriting.
(3)
Mr. Karner is our Global Head of Debt Investments.
(4)
Mr. Restrick is our Chief Operating Officer.
(5)
Mr. Wickey is our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary.
(6)
Dr. Corcoran is one of our directors. Includes 3,472 vested DSUs. DSUs will be converted to common shares at a later date pursuant to an election compliant with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. DSUs do not have voting rights. DSUs pay dividend equivalents in either cash or additional DSUs at the election of the director.
(7)
Mr. Eastep is one of our directors. Includes 3,472 vested DSUs. DSUs will be converted to common shares at a later date pursuant to an election compliant with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. DSUs do not have voting rights. DSUs pay dividend equivalents in either cash or additional DSUs at the election of the director.
(8)
Mr. Kazel is one of our directors.  Includes 12,675 shares of common stock held indirectly in Mr. Kazel’s 401(k) account.
(9)
Ms. Kuenstner  is one of our directors. Includes 3,472 vested DSUs. DSUs will be converted to common shares at a later date pursuant to an election compliant with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. DSUs do not have voting rights. DSUs pay dividend equivalents in either cash or additional DSUs at the election of the director.
(10)
Annaly Capital Management, Inc., or Annaly, owns our Manager.  The address for this stockholder is 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY  10036. Based solely on information contained in a Schedule 13D/A filed by Annaly on January 31, 2013.
(11)
The address for this stockholder is 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104.  The shares shown as beneficially owned by Wells Fargo & Company reflect shares owned on its own behalf and on behalf of the following subsidiaries: Wells Capital Management Incorporated; Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC; Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC; and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.  Aggregate beneficial ownership reported by Wells Fargo & Company is on a consolidated basis and includes any beneficial ownership of a subsidiary.  Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC reported beneficially owning 4,181,578 shares of common stock with the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of zero shares of common stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of zero shares of common stock.  Wells Capital Management Incorporated reported beneficially owning 5,149,111 shares of common stock with the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of zero shares of common stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of zero shares of common stock.  Wells Fargo & Company reported beneficially owning 5,203,303 shares of common stock with the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of 13,557 shares of common stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 13,557 shares of common stock based solely on information contained in a Schedule 13G/A filed by Wells Fargo & Company on February 13, 2013.
(12)
The address for this stockholder is 40 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022.  The shares shown as beneficially owned by BlackRock, Inc. reflect shares owned on its own behalf and on behalf of the following subsidiaries: BlackRock Advisors, LLC; BlackRock Investment Management, LLC; BlackRock Asset Management Australia Limited; BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited; BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited; BlackRock Fund Advisors; and BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A.  Aggregate beneficial ownership reported by BlackRock, Inc. includes any beneficial ownership of a subsidiary.  BlackRock, Inc. reported beneficially owning 4,608,738 shares of common stock with the sole power to vote or to direct the vote of 4,608,738 shares of common stock and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 4,608,738 shares of common stock based solely on information contained in a Schedule 13G filed by BlackRock, Inc. on January 30, 2013.

 
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Change in Control
 
Please see the description below under "Item 13, Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence Agreement and Plan of Merger," for a discussion of the potential transaction between us and Annaly pursuant to which Annaly may purchase all of our outstanding shares of common stock (other than shares owned by Annaly).
 
Equity Compensation Plan Information

We have adopted a long term stock incentive plan, or Incentive Plan, to provide incentives to our independent directors, employees of our Manager and its affiliates to stimulate their efforts towards our continued success long-term growth and profitability and to attract, reward and retain personnel and other service providers.  The Incentive Plan authorizes the Compensation Committee of the board of directors to grant awards, including incentive stock options as defined under Section 422 of the Code, or ISOs, non-qualified stock options, or NQSOs, restricted shares and other types of incentive awards.  Our Incentive Plan provides for grants of restricted common stock and other equity-based awards up to an aggregate amount, at the time of the award, of (i) 2.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock (on a fully diluted basis) at the time of the award less (ii) 250,000 shares, subject to an aggregate ceiling of 25,000,000 shares available for issuance under the Incentive Plan.  For a description of our Incentive Plan, see Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
The following table provides information as of December 31, 2012 concerning shares of our common stock authorized for issuance under our existing Incentive Plan.
 
   
Number of Securities
to be Issued upon
Exercise of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and
Rights(1)
   
Weighted Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and
Rights(1)
   
Number of Securities
Remaining for Future
Issuance Under
Equity Compensation
Plans (1)
 
Plan Category
                 
Equity Compensation Plans
   Approved by Stockholders
    -     $ -       1,646,347  
Equity Compensation Plans Not
   Approved by Stockholders
    -     $ -       -  
Total
    -     $ -       1,646,347  
__________
(1)
We have issued 19,416 shares of common stock to our independent directors under our equity incentive plan.
 
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Agreement and Plan of Merger
 
On January 30, 2013, we entered the Merger Agreement, among us, Annaly, and Acquisition, pursuant to which, among other things, Acquisition will commence a tender offer (the “Offer”) to purchase all of the outstanding shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), that Acquisition or Annaly do not own at a price per share of $13.00 in cash, plus a cash payment to reflect a pro-rated quarterly dividend for the quarter in which the Offer is consummated, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.  If at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors are tendered and purchased by Acquisition in the tender offer, and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain limited conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement (including, if required, receipt of approval by our stockholders), Acquisition will merge with and into us, with us surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly.  In the Merger, each outstanding Share, other than Shares owned by Acquisition and Annaly, will be converted into the right to receive the same cash consideration paid in the Offer.
 
 
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Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, we may solicit, receive, evaluate and enter into negotiations with respect to alternative proposals from third parties for the Transaction Solicitation Period consisting of 45 calendar days continuing through March 16, 2013.  We may continue discussions after the Transaction Solicitation Period with parties who made acquisition proposals during the Transaction Solicitation Period, or who made unsolicited acquisition proposals after the Transaction Solicitation Period, in either case that we determine, in good faith, would result in, or is reasonably likely to result in, a superior proposal. If we receive a superior proposal, Annaly and Acquisition have the right to increase their offer price one time to a price that is at least $0.10 per share greater than the value per share stockholders would receive as a result of the superior proposal and thereafter we may terminate after providing two business days’ notice.  If we terminate the Merger Agreement during the Transaction Solicitation Period or during the 10-day period following its expiration to enter into a superior proposal with a party who delivered a written acquisition proposal during the Transaction Solicitation Period, we will be required to pay to Annaly a termination fee of $15 million. If we terminate the Merger Agreement thereafter in connection with a superior proposal, the termination fee will be $25 million.  If the Merger Agreement is terminated in either circumstance, we will also be required to reimburse Annaly’s documented out-of-pocket expenses, up to $5 million. In all cases, the termination fee and expense reimbursement will be credited against the termination fee payable by us under our management agreement with our Manager, a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly.
 
 The Merger Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants of us, Annaly and Acquisition.  We have agreed to operate our business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice until the effective time of the Merger.  Annaly has separately agreed to not purchase any Shares in excess of the approximately 12.4% of the outstanding that it currently owns.
 
 Consummation of the Offer is subject to various conditions, including (1) the valid tender of the number of Shares that would represent at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors, (2) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being unlawful under any applicable statute, rule or regulation, (3) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being enjoined by order of any court or other governmental authority, (4) the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement), (5) neither our board of directors nor its special committee of independent directors having withdrawn its recommendation of the Offer or Merger to our stockholders, and (6) the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions. Neither the Offer nor the Merger is subject to a financing condition.  Annaly plans to finance the transaction with cash on hand.
 
 If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold at least 90% of the outstanding Shares, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without the approval of the Merger by our stockholders. If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold less than 90% of the outstanding Shares, Acquisition will have the right to exercise the Percentage Increase Option which provides an irrevocable option under the Merger Agreement to purchase from us that number of additional Shares that will increase the percentage of outstanding Shares owned by Annaly and its subsidiaries to one share more than 90% of the outstanding Shares (after giving effect to the issuance of shares pursuant to the Percentage Increase Option).  Upon exercise of the Percentage Increase Option, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without approval of the Merger by our stockholders.
 
Our board of directors, upon the unanimous recommendation and approval of a special committee consisting of our three independent directors, adopted resolutions (i) determining and declaring advisable the Merger Agreement and the Offer, the Merger, the Percentage Increase Option and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (ii) determining that the terms of the Offer, the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are in the best interests of, and fair to, our stockholders other than Annaly and its affiliates, and (iii) recommending that our stockholders (other than Annaly and its affiliates) accept the Offer, tender their Shares into the Offer and, to the extent required by applicable law to consummate the Merger, vote their Shares in favor of approving the Merger.
 
 
94

 
 
Management Agreement
 
We entered into a management agreement with FIDAC, our Manager, in connection with our initial public offering.  The management agreement requires our Manager to manage our business affairs in conformity with the policies and the investment guidelines that are approved and monitored by our board of directors.  The management agreement has an initial term that ended December 31, 2013, with automatic, one-year renewals at the end of each calendar year following the initial term, subject to approval by our independent directors.
 
We pay our Manager a management fee quarterly in arrears in an amount equal to a percentage of our stockholders’ equity.  The percentage was 0.50% per annum until September 22, 2010, and was 1.00% per annum for the period from September 23, 2010 through March 22, 2011, and is 1.50% per annum after March 22, 2011, calculated quarterly.  For purposes of calculating the management fee, our stockholders’ equity means the sum of the net proceeds from any issuances of our equity securities since inception (allocated on a pro rata daily basis for such issuances during the fiscal quarter of any such issuance), plus our retained earnings at the end of such quarter (without taking into account any non-cash equity compensation expense incurred in current or prior periods), less any amount that we pay for repurchases of our common stock, and less any unrealized gains, losses or other items that do not affect realized net income (regardless of whether such items are included in other comprehensive income or loss, or in net income).  This amount will be adjusted to exclude one-time events pursuant to changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP, and certain non-cash charges after discussions between our Manager and our independent directors and approved by a majority of our independent directors.
 
On January 30, 2013, we and our Manager entered into an amendment to the management agreement pursuant to which, our Manager has agreed to, among other things, in good faith facilitate and assist the Company in its efforts to actively seek and solicit acquisition proposals during the Transaction Solicitation Period and, following the conclusion of the Transaction Solicitation Period, in good faith facilitate and assist our discussions, negotiations, providing of information and any other permissible action with respect to possible acquisition proposals under the terms of the Merger Agreement. The amendment also shortens the notice provision for our termination of the management agreement from 180 days to 60 days’ notice at any time during the first six months following the acquisition by a third party of a majority of our stock or assets.
 
For the year ended December 31, 2012 our Manager earned a management fee of $13.8 million.  Currently, our Manager has waived its right to require us to pay our pro rata portion of rent, telephone, utilities, office furniture, equipment, machinery and other office, internal and overhead expenses of our Manager and its affiliates required for our operations.

Other Relationships

Daniel Wickey, our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary and the Executive Vice President, Accounting of Annaly and our Manager, is the brother-in-law of Rose-Marie Lyght, the Co-Chief Investment Officer for our Manager and Annaly and a member of Annaly’s and our Manager’s Investment Committee.

Approval of Related Person Transactions

Our code of business conduct and ethics requires all of our personnel to be scrupulous in avoiding a conflict of interest with regard to our interests.  The code prohibits us from entering into a business relationship with an immediate family member or with a company that the employee or immediate family member has a substantial financial interest unless such relationship is disclosed to and approved in advance by our board of directors.

Each of our directors and executive officers is required to complete an annual disclosure questionnaire and report all transactions with us in which they and their immediate family members had or will have a direct or indirect material interest with respect to us.  We review these questionnaires and, if we determine it necessary, discuss any reported transactions with the entire board of directors.  We do not, however, have a formal written policy for approval or ratification of such transactions, and all such transactions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  If we believe a transaction is significant to us and raises particular conflict of interest issues, we will discuss it with our legal counsel, and if necessary, we will form an independent board committee which has the right to engage its own legal and financial counsel to evaluate and approve the transaction.
 
 
95

 
 
Clearing and Underwriting Fees

RCap is a SEC registered broker-dealer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly. We use RCap to clear trades for us and RCap is paid customary market-based fees and charges arising from such services.

Independence of Our Directors

New York Stock Exchange rules require that at least a majority of our directors be independent of us and management.  The rules also require that our board of directors affirmatively determine that there are no material relationships between a director and us (either directly or as a partner, stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with us) before such director can be deemed independent.  We have adopted independence standards consistent with New York Stock Exchange rules.  Our board of directors has reviewed both direct and indirect transactions and relationships that each of our directors had or maintained with us and our management.
 
As a result of this review, our board of directors, based upon the fact that none of our non-employee directors have any material relationships with us other than as directors and holders of our common stock, affirmatively determined that three of our directors are independent directors under New York Stock Exchange rules.  Our independent directors are Nancy Jo Kuenstner, Patrick Corcoran and Robert Eastep.  Ronald Kazel and Kevin Riordan are not considered independent because they are employees of our Manager.

Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

Relationship with Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

In addition to performing the audits of our financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting in 2012, Ernst & Young LLP and its affiliated entities, or E&Y, provided audit-related services for us during 2012.
 
Deloitte & Touche LLP, or Deloitte, was our independent registered public accounting firm from our formation in May 2009 through the year 2011.  During this time, Deloitte and its affiliated entities, or D&T, performed accounting and auditing services for us.
 
The aggregate fees billed for 2012 and 2011 for each of the following categories of services are set forth below:
 
Audit Fees: The aggregate fees billed by E&Y for audits and reviews of our 2012 financial statements were $716,850.  The aggregate fees billed by D&T for audits and reviews of our 2011 financial statements were $666,457.
 
Audit-Related Fees:  E&Y did not perform any audit related services during 2012, and we did not pay E&Y any additional fees.  The aggregate fees billed by D&T for audit-related services during 2011 were $257,076.  The audit-related services in 2011 principally included due diligence and accounting consultation relating to our asset acquisitions and follow-on public offering.
 
Tax Fees:  The aggregate fees billed by E&Y for tax services for 2012 were $45,000.    The aggregate fees billed by D&T for tax services for 2011 were $38,750.
 
All Other Fees:  The aggregate fees billed by E&Y for all other fees during 2012 were $32,022 and related to accounting technical educational services provided by E&Y prior to be engaged as the Companys independent auditor.   D&T did not perform any other kinds of services for us during 2011, and we did not pay D&T any additional fees.
 
 
96

 
 
The audit committee has also adopted policies and procedures for pre-approving all non-audit work performed by our independent registered public accounting firm.  Specifically, the audit committee pre-approved the use of E&Y for the following categories of non-audit services: merger and acquisition due diligence and audit services; tax services; internal control reviews; employee benefit plan audits; and reviews and procedures that we request E&Y to undertake to provide assurances on matters not required by laws or regulations.  In each case, the audit committee also set a specific annual limit on the amount of such services which we would obtain from the independent registered public accounting firm, and required management to report the specific engagements to the audit committee on a quarterly basis, and also obtain specific pre-approval from the audit committee for any engagement over five percent of the total amount of revenues estimated to be paid by us to such independent registered public accounting firm during the then current fiscal year.  Our audit committee approved the hiring of each independent registered public accounting firm to provide all of the services detailed above prior to such independent registered public accounting firm’s engagement.  None of the services related to the Audit-Related Fees described above was approved by the audit committee pursuant to a waiver of pre-approval provisions set forth in applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.


Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

(a) Documents filed as part of this report:

1. Financial Statements.

2. Schedules to Financial Statements.

     All financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are either inapplicable or the information required is provided in our Financial Statements and Notes thereto, included in Part II, Item 8, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
 
97

 
 
EXHIBIT INDEX
 
 
Exhibit
Number
 
Description
     
2.1  
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of January 30, 2013, by and among CreXus Investment Corp., Annaly Capital Management, Inc. and CXS Acquisition Corporation (filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 31, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
3.1  
Articles of Amendment and Restatement of CreXus Investment Corp. (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Amendment No. 5 to Form S-11 (File No. 333-160254) filed on September 14, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
3.2  
Amended and Restated Bylaws of CreXus Investment Corp. (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Registrant's Form 10-Q (filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 6, 2009) and incorporated herein by reference).
     
4.1  
Specimen Common Stock Certificate of CreXus Investment Corp. (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Amendment No. 3 to Form S-11 (File No. 333-160254) filed on August 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
10.1  
Management Agreement (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Amendment No. 3 to Form S-11 (File No. 333-160254) filed on August 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
10.2  
Amendment No. 1 to Management Agreement (filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Amendment No. 6 to Form S-11 (File No. 333-160254) filed on September 16, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
10.3  
Mortgage Origination and Servicing Agreement between CreXus Investment Corp. and Principal Real Estate Investors, LLC (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Amendment No. 5 to Form S-11 (File No. 333-160254) filed on September 14, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
10.4  
Equity Incentive Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-162223) filed on September 30, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).*
     
10.5  
Form of Common Stock Award (filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Amendment No. 3 to Form S-11 (File No. 333-160254) filed on August 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).*
     
10.6  
Form of Stock Option Grant (filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Amendment No. 3 to Form S-11 (File No. 333-160254) filed on August 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference).*
     
10.8  
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated March 18, 2011, among CreXus S Holdings LLC, CreXus S Holdings (Grand Cayman) LLC, Barclays Capital Real Estate Inc. and Barclays Capital Real Estate Finance Inc. (filed as exhibit 2.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K (filed on March 21, 2011) and incorporated herein by reference).
     
10.9  
Stock Purchase Agreement, dated April 1, 2011, between the Company and Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (filed on April 1, 2011) and incorporated herein by reference).
     
10.7  
Stock Purchase Agreement between CreXus Investment Corp. and Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.10 to the Company’s Registrant's Form 10-Q (filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 6, 2009) and incorporated herein by reference).
     
10.8  
Amendment No. 2 dated as of January 30, 2013 to the Management Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2009 (as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of September 16, 2009), by and between CreXus Investment Corp. and Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company (filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 31, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference).
 
 
98

 
 
     
12.1  
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
     
21.1  
Subsidiaries of Registrant.
     
23.1  
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
     
23.2  
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
     
31.1  
Certification of Kevin Riordan, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Registrant, pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
31.2  
Certification of Daniel Wickey, Chief Financial Officer of the Registrant, pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
32.1  
Certification of  Kevin Riordan, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Registrant, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
32.2  
Certification of Daniel Wickey, Chief Financial Officer of the Registrant, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
 
Exhibit 101.INS XBRL
Instance Document †
Exhibit 101.SCH XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Schema Document †
Exhibit 101.CAL XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document †
Exhibit 101.DEF XBRL
Additional Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document Created†
Exhibit 101.LAB XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document †
Exhibit 101.PRE XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document †
 

†           Submitted electronically herewith.  Attached as Exhibit 101 to this report are the following documents formatted in XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition at December 31, 2012, December 31, 2011, and December 31, 2010; (ii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2012, December 31, 2011, and ended December 31, 2010; (iii) Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December 31, 2012, December 31, 2011,  and December 31,2010; (iv) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2012,  December 31, 2011, and December 31, 2010; and (v) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.  Users of this data are advised pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T that this interactive data file is deemed not filed or part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933, is deemed not filed for purposes of section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, and otherwise is not subject to liability under these sections.

* Represents a management contract or a compensatory plan or arrangement.
 
 
99

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm



The Board of Directors and Stockholders of
CreXus Investment Corp.
 
We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of financial condition of CreXus Investment Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2012 and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2012.  Our audit also included the financial statement schedules listed in the Index at Item 15(a)2. These financial statements and schedules are the responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and schedules based on our audit.
 
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company at December 31, 2012, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2012, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedules, when considered in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.
 
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 28, 2013 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
 
 
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
February 28, 2013

 
F-1

 
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm


The Board of Directors and Stockholders of
CreXus Investment Corp.


We have audited CreXus Investment Corp.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the COSO criteria). CreXus Investment Corp.’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, CreXus Investment Corp. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012, based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated statement of financial condition of CreXus Investment Corp. as of December 31, 2012 and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2012 of CreXus Investment Corp. and our report dated February 28, 2013 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.


/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
February 28, 2013
 
 
F-2

 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
CreXus Investment Corp.
New York, New York

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of financial condition of CreXus Investment Corp. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2011, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2011.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.   We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of CreXus Investment Corp. as of December 31, 2011, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2011, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
New York, New York
February 28, 2012
 
 
F-3

 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
             
             
   
December 31, 2012
 
December 31, 2011
Assets:
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 123,543     $ 202,814  
Commercial real estate loans net of allowance  for loan losses ($0 and $369, respectively)
               
   Senior
    100,343       374,348  
   Subordinate
    38,954       71,517  
   Mezzanine
    590,525       306,936  
Preferred equity held for investment
    39,769       -  
Real estate held for sale
    33,511       -  
Investment in real estate, net
    33,655       33,196  
Intangible assets, net
    5,095       -  
Rents receivable
    268       32  
Accrued interest receivable
    4,957       2,608  
Other assets
    3,379       1,420  
   Total assets
  $ 973,999     $ 992,871  
                 
Liabilities:
               
Mortgages payable
  $ 19,150     $ 16,600  
Participation sold (non-recourse)
    13,759       14,755  
Accrued interest payable
    -       6  
Accounts payable and other liabilities
    3,363       4,048  
Dividends payable
    24,522       26,817  
Intangible liabilities, net
    1,907       -  
Investment management fees payable to affiliate
    3,425       3,488  
   Total liabilities
    66,126       65,714  
                 
Stockholders' Equity:
               
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 76,630,528 and 76,620,112 shares issued and outstanding, respectively
    766       766  
Additional paid-in-capital
    890,862       890,757  
Retained earnings
    16,245       35,634  
   Total stockholders' equity
    907,873       927,157  
   Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
  $ 973,999     $ 992,871  
                 
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
 
F-4

 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
                   
   
For the Year Ended
     
   
December 31, 2012
 
December 31, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
                   
Net interest income:
                 
Interest income
  $ 88,561     $ 106,483     $ 20,847  
Interest expense
    (1,138 )     (2,370 )     (5,279 )
Servicing fees
    (530 )     (572 )     (115 )
   Net interest income
    86,893       103,541       15,453  
                         
Other income:
                       
Realized loss on sale of loan
    (525 )     -       -  
Realized gains on sales of investments
    -       18,481       623  
Miscellaneous fee income
    348       486       -  
Rental income
    3,153       238       -  
   Total other income
    2,976       19,205       623  
                         
Other expenses:
                       
Provision for loan losses, net
    2,803       127       240  
Management fees to affiliate
    13,775       10,958       1,644  
General and administrative expenses
    6,660       3,211       2,305  
Amortization expense
    440       -       -  
Depreciation expense
    1,086       54       -  
   Total other expenses
    24,764       14,350       4,189  
                         
Income before income tax
    65,105       108,396       11,887  
Income tax
    39       -       1  
Net income from continuing operations
    65,066       108,396       11,886  
                         
Net income from discontinued operations (net of tax expense of $726, $0, and $0, respectively)
    6,752       -       -  
Gain on sale from discontinued operations
    1,774       -       -  
Impairment charges
    (2,560 )     -       -  
   Total income from discontinued operations
    5,966       -       -  
                         
Net Income
  $ 71,032     $ 108,396     $ 11,886  
                         
Net income per average share-basic and diluted, continuing operations
  0.85     1.73     0.66  
Total net income per average share-basic and diluted, discontinued operations
    0.08       -       -  
Net income per average share-basic and diluted
  $ 0.93     $ 1.73     $ 0.66  
Dividend declared per share of common stock
  $ 1.18     $ 1.13     $ 0.58  
Weighted average number of shares outstanding-basic and diluted
    76,626,430       62,609,153       18,120,112  
Comprehensive income:
                       
Net income
  $ 71,032     $ 108,396     $ 11,886  
Other comprehensive income:
                       
Unrealized gains on securities available-for-sale
    -       -       11,471  
Reclassification adjustment for realized gains included in net income
    -       (10,475 )     (623 )
  Total other comprehensive income
    -       (10,475 )     10,848  
Comprehensive income
  $ 71,032     $ 97,921     $ 22,734  
                         
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
 
F-5

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 
               
Accumulated
 
Retained
     
   
Common
 
Additional
 
Other
 
Earnings
     
   
Stock Par
 
Paid-in
 
Comprehensive
 
(Accumulated
     
   
Value
 
Capital
 
Income (Loss)
 
Deficit)
 
Total
Balance, December 31, 2009
  $ 181     $ 257,029     $ (373 )   $ (1,010 )   $ 255,827  
Net income
    -       -       -       11,886       11,886  
Other comprehensive income (loss)
    -       -       10,848       -       10,848  
Additional expenses from common stock offering
    -       (15 )     -       -       (15 )
Common dividends declared, $0.58 per share
    -       -       -       (10,511 )     (10,511 )
Balance, December 31, 2010
  $ 181     $ 257,014     $ 10,475     $ 365     $ 268,035  
Net income
    -       -       -       108,396       108,396  
Other comprehensive income (loss)
    -       -       (10,475 )     -       (10,475 )
Net proceeds from common stock offering
    535       576,293       -       -       576,828  
Net proceeds from common stock offering, with affiliates
    50       57,450       -       -       57,500  
Common dividends declared, $1.13 per share
    -       -       -       (73,127 )     (73,127 )
Balance, December 31, 2011
  $ 766     $ 890,757     $ -     $ 35,634     $ 927,157  
Net income
    -       -       -       71,032       71,032  
Restricted stock grants
    -       105       -       -       105  
Common dividends declared, $1.18 per share
    -       -       -       (90,421 )     (90,421 )
Balance, December 31, 2012
  $ 766     $ 890,862     $ -     $ 16,245     $ 907,873  
                                         
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
 
F-6

 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(dollars in thousands)
                   
   
For the Year Ended
     
   
December 31, 2012
 
December 31, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
                   
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
                 
Net income
  $ 71,032     $ 108,396     $ 11,886  
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
 
     Net amortization of investment premiums and discounts
    (22,228 )     (60,247 )     (121 )
     Amortization of origination fees
    (552 )     (242 )     -  
     Realized gain on sale of investments
    -       (18,481 )     (623 )
 Realized gain on sale of real estate investments, discontinued operations
    (1,774 )     -       -  
     Realized loss on sale of loan
    525       -       -  
     Provision for loan losses, net
    2,803       127       240  
     Impairment charges on real estate held for sale
    2,560       -       -  
     Restricted stock grants
    105       -       -  
     Amortization of intangible assets and liabilities, net
    317       -       -  
     Depreciation
    1,086       -       -  
Changes in operating assets:
                       
     Decrease (increase) in accrued interest receivable
    (2,349 )     165       (2,196 )
     Decrease (increase) in other assets
    (1,959 )     240       (976 )
     Decrease (increase) in rents receivable
    (236 )     32       -  
Changes in operating liabilities:
                       
     Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other liabilities
    2,146       1,653       116  
     Increase (decrease) in investment management fee payable to affiliate
    (63 )     2,839       296  
     Increase (decrease) in accrued interest payable
    (6 )     (284 )     264  
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
    51,407       34,198       8,886  
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
                       
Mortgage-backed securities portfolio:
                       
     Purchases
    -       (209,924 )     (244,221 )
     Sales
    -       410,899       61,194  
     Principal payments
    -       30,344       1,159  
Loans and preferred equity held for investment portfolio:
                       
     Purchases net of discount/loan originations
    (439,048 )     (715,861 )     (149,061 )
     Sales
    49,200       -       -  
     Principal payments
    338,881       212,838       207  
Real estate portfolio:
                       
     Purchases of real estate
    (5,050 )     (33,250 )     -  
     Sales
    18,501       -       -  
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
    (37,516 )     (304,954 )     (330,722 )
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
                       
     Net proceeds (expense) from common stock offerings
    -       576,828       (15 )
     Net proceeds from common stock offering with affiliates
    -       57,500       -  
     Proceeds from collateralized mortgage borrowings
    2,550       16,600       -  
     Payments on participations sold
    (14,755 )     -       -  
     Proceeds from participations sold
    13,759       14,755       -  
     Proceeds from secured financing
    -       -       147,260  
     Payments on secured financing
    -       (172,837 )     -  
     Payment of underwriter fee
    (2,000 )     -       -  
     Dividends paid
    (92,716 )     (50,295 )     (6,523 )
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
    (93,162 )     442,551       140,722  
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
    (79,271 )     171,795       (181,114 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
    202,814       31,019       212,133  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
  $ 123,543     $ 202,814     $ 31,019  
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
                       
     Interest paid
  $ 1,048     $ 2,005     $ 5,015  
     Income tax paid
  $ 1       -     $ 1  
Non cash investing activities:
                       
Reclassification of loans to real estate upon deed in lieu of foreclosure
  52,800     $ -     $ -  
Reduction of non-accretable yield due to principal writedown
                       
Rate and term financing
  $ -     $ 199,900     $ -  
Net change in unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities
  $ -     $ (10,475 )   $ 10,848  
Non cash financing activities:
                       
   Common dividends declared, not yet paid
  $ 24,522     $ 26,817     $ 3,986  
                         
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
 
 
F-7

 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2012 AND 2011


1.   Organization

CreXus Investment Corp. (the “Company”) was organized in Maryland on January 23, 2008.  The Company commenced operations on September 22, 2009 upon completion of its initial public offering.  The Company, directly or through its subsidiaries, acquires, manages and finances an investment portfolio of commercial real estate loans and other commercial real estate debt, commercial real property, commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”), other commercial real estate-related assets and Agency residential mortgage-backed securities (“Agency RMBS”) and has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  As a REIT, the Company will generally not be subject to U.S. federal or state corporate taxes on its income to the extent that qualifying distributions are made to stockholders and the REIT requirements, including certain asset, income, distribution and stock ownership tests are met. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, CreXus S Holdings LLC, CreXus S Holdings (Grand Cayman) LLC, CreXus F Asset Holdings LLC, CHPHC Holding Company LLC, CHPHC Hotel I LLC, CHPHC Hotel II LLC, CHPHC Hotel III LLC, CHPHC Hotel IV LLC, CHPHC Hotel V LLC, CHPHC Hotel VI LLC, CHPHC Hotel VII LLC, CHPHC Hotel VIII LLC, CHPHC Hotel IX LLC, CHPHC Hotel X LLC, CHPHC Hotel XI LLC, CHPHC Hotel XII LLC, Crexus Net Lease Holdings LLC, Crexus AZ Holdings 1 LLC, Crexus NV Holdings 1 LLC, and CreXus TALF Holdings, LLC (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), are qualified REIT subsidiaries.

The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, CreXus S Holdings (Holding Co) LLC, is a taxable REIT subsidiary.  Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (“Annaly”) owns approximately 12.4% of the Company’s common shares.  The Company is managed by Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company (“FIDAC”), an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  FIDAC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly.

2.  Summary of the Significant Accounting Policies
 
(a) Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
 
The accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP").  The Company adopted the provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), Accounting Standards Codification, (the “Codification” or “ASC”), which is the current source of authoritative GAAP.
 
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.  All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

(b) Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and in money market accounts with original maturities less than 90 days.

(c) Agency RMBS and CMBS

The Company may invest in Agency RMBS and CMBS representing interests in obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans.  Agency RMBS are mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), and other mortgage-backed securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans issued or guaranteed as to principal and/or interest repayment by agencies of the U.S. Government or federally chartered corporations such as Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae.  The Company has only purchased, but is not limited to, AAA CMBS that were accounted for under ASC 320-10, Investment in Debt and Equity Securities.

The Company holds its Agency RMBS and CMBS as available-for-sale, records investments at estimated fair value, and includes unrealized gains and losses in other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. From time to time, as part of the overall management of its portfolio, the Company may sell certain of its Agency RMBS and CMBS investments and recognize a realized gain or loss as a component of earnings in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income utilizing the specific identification method.
 
 
F-8

 
 
Interest income on Agency RMBS and CMBS is computed on the remaining principal balance of the investment security.  Premium or discount amortization/accretion on Agency RMBS and CMBS is recognized over the estimated life of the investment using the effective interest method.   In applying the interest method, the Company considers estimates of future principal prepayments in the calculation of the effective yield. Differences that arise between previously anticipated prepayments and actual prepayments received, as well as changes in future prepayment assumptions, result in a recalculation of the effective yield on the security on a quarterly basis. This recalculation results in the recognition of an adjustment to the carrying amount of the security based on the revised prepayment assumptions and a corresponding increase or decrease in reported interest income.  Changes to assumptions that decrease expected future cash flows may result in an other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”).   At December 31, 2012 and 2011, the Company did not own any Agency RMBS and CMBS.

If at the valuation date, the fair value of an investment security is less than its amortized cost, the Company will analyze the investment security for OTTI.  Management will evaluate the Company’s CMBS and RMBS for OTTI at least on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market concerns warrant such evaluation.  Consideration will be given to (1) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than the carrying value, (2) the intent of the Company to sell the investment prior to recovery in fair value (3) whether the Company will more likely than not be required to sell the investment before the expected recovery, and (4) the expected future cash flows of the investment in relation to its amortized cost.  If a credit portion of OTTI exists, the cost basis of the security is written down to the then-current fair value, and the related credit portion of unrealized loss is transferred from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as an immediate reduction of current earnings.

(d) Commercial Real Estate Loans

The Company's commercial real estate mortgages and loans are comprised of fixed-rate and adjustable-rate loans. Commercial real estate mortgages and loans are designated as held for investment and are carried at their outstanding principal balance, plus premiums, less discounts, which are amortized or accreted over the estimated life of the loan, less an estimated allowance for loan losses.  The difference between the face amount of a loan and proceeds at acquisition is recorded as either discount or premium. A discount or premium is also recognized for acquired loans whose coupons are not considered to reflect prevailing rates of interest for comparable loans.  In these circumstances, the Company estimates the prevailing rate of interest to maturity for a note that would have resulted between an independent borrower and lender for a similar transaction under comparable terms and conditions.

(e) Preferred Equity Interests Held for Investment

Preferred equity interests are designated as held for investment and are carried at their outstanding principal balance, plus premiums, less discounts, which are amortized or accreted over the estimated life of the investment, less an estimated allowance for losses.

(f) Investment in Real Estate and Real Estate Held for Sale
 
Investment in real estate is carried at historical cost less accumulated depreciation. Costs directly related to acquisitions deemed to be business combinations are expensed. Ordinary repairs and maintenance which are not reimbursed by the tenants are expensed as incurred. Major replacements and improvements that extend the useful life of the asset are capitalized and depreciated over their useful life.
 
Investments in real estate are depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, summarized as follows:
 
 
Category
 
Term
 
 
Building
 
35-40 years
 
 
Site improvements
 
2-7 years
 
 
 
F-9

 
 
The Company follows the acquisition method of accounting for acquisitions of operating real estate held for investment, where the purchase price of operating real estate is allocated to tangible assets such as land, building, site improvements and other identified intangibles such as above/below market and in-place leases.
 
The Company evaluates whether real estate acquired in connection with a foreclosure (REO), UCC/deed in lieu of foreclosure or a consensual modification of a loan (herein collectively referred to as a foreclosure) constitutes a business and whether business combination accounting is applicable. Upon foreclosure of a property, the excess of the carrying value of a loan, if any, over the estimated fair value of the property, less estimated costs to sell, is charged to provision for loan losses.
 
Investments in real estate, including REO, which do not meet the criteria to be classified as held for sale, are separately presented in the consolidated statements of financial condition as held for investment. Such operating real estate is reported at the lower of its carrying value or its estimated fair value less estimated costs to sell. Once a property is determined to be held for sale, depreciation is no longer recorded. In addition, the results of operations are reclassified to income (loss) from discontinued operations in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
 
The Company's real estate portfolio (REO and real estate held for investment) is reviewed on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary, to assess whether there are any indicators that the value of its operating real estate may be impaired or that its carrying value may not be recoverable. A property's value is considered impaired if the Company's estimate of the aggregate future undiscounted cash flows to be generated by the property is less than the carrying value of the property. In conducting this review, the Company considers U.S. macroeconomic factors, including real estate sector conditions, together with asset specific and other factors. To the extent an impairment has occurred and is considered to be other than temporary, the loss will be measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the property over the calculated fair value of the property.  The Company recorded an impairment of $2.6 million on real estate held for sale for the year ended December 31, 2012, which is recorded as a component of discontinued operations.     
 
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
 
Allowances for doubtful accounts for tenant receivables are established based on a periodic review of aged receivables resulting from estimated losses due to the inability of tenants to make required rent and other payments contractually due. Additionally, the Company establishes, on a current basis, an allowance for future tenant credit losses on billed and unbilled rents receivable based upon an evaluation of the collectability of such amounts.
 
Rental Income
 
Rental income from investments in real estate is derived from leasing space to various types of corporate tenants. The leases are for fixed terms of varying length and provide for annual rentals to be paid in monthly installments. Rental income from leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the respective leases. The excess of straight-line rents over base rents under the lease is included in rents receivable on the Company's consolidated statement of financial condition and any excess of base rents over the straight-line amount is recorded as a decrease to rents receivable on the Company's consolidated statement of financial condition.
 
Deferred Costs
 
Deferred costs include deferred financing costs and deferred lease costs and are included in other assets in the consolidated statement of financial condition. Deferred financing costs represent commitment fees, legal and other third-party costs associated with obtaining financing. These costs are amortized to interest expense over the term of the financing. Unamortized deferred financing costs are expensed when the associated borrowing is refinanced or repaid before maturity.
 
 
F-10

 
 
Identified Intangibles
 
The Company records acquired identified intangibles, which includes intangible assets (value of the above-market leases, and in-place leases) and intangible liabilities (value of below-market leases), based on estimated fair value. The value allocated to the above or below-market leases is amortized over the remaining lease term as a net adjustment to rental income.  Other intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term. Identified intangible assets are recorded in intangible assets, net and identified intangible liabilities are recorded in intangible liabilities, net on the consolidated statements of financial condition.  The weighted-average amortization period for intangible assets and liabilities is 14.3 years and 12.7 years, respectively, as of December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
The following table summarizes identified intangibles as of December 31, 2012 and 2011:
 
    December 31, 2012   December 31, 2011
    (dollars in thousands)
   
Intangible
Assets
In-place
Leases
 
Intangible
Liabilities
Below-market
Leases
 
Intangible
Assets
In-place
Leases
 
Intangible
Liabilities
Below-market
Leases
Gross amount
  $ 5,535     $ (2,030 )   $ -     $ -  
Accumulated amortization
    (440 )     123       -       -  
Total
  $ 5,095     $ (1,907 )   $ -     $ -  
                                 
 
The Company recorded amortization of acquired below-market leases of $123 thousand and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Amortization of other intangible assets was $440 thousand, and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  
 
(g) Allowance for Loan Losses

The Company evaluates the need for a loan loss reserve on its debt investments. A provision is established when the Company believes a loan is impaired, which is when it is deemed probable that the Company will be unable to collect principal and interest amounts due according to the contractual terms. A provision for credit losses related to loans , including those accounted for under ASC 310-30, Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality (ASC 310-30), may be established when it is probable the Company will not collect amounts contractually due or all amounts previously estimated to be collected. Management assesses the credit quality of the portfolio and adequacy of loan loss reserves on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary. Significant judgment of the Company is required in this analysis. The Company considers the estimated net recoverable value of the loan as well as other factors, including but not limited to the fair value of any collateral, the amount and the status of any senior debt, the prospects for the borrower and the competitive situation of the region where the borrower does business. Because this determination is based upon projections of future economic events, which are inherently subjective, the amounts ultimately realized may differ materially from the carrying value as of the statement of financial condition date.
 
The Company’s methodology for assessing the appropriateness of the allowance for loan losses consists of, but is not limited to, evaluating each loan as follows:  the Company reviews loan to value metrics upon either the origination or the acquisition of a new asset.  The Company generally reviews the most recent financial information produced by the borrower, net operating income (“NOI”), debt service coverage ratios (“DSCR”), property debt yields (net cash flow or NOI divided by the amount of outstanding indebtedness), loan per unit and rent rolls relating to each of its assets, and may consider other factors it deems important. The Company reviews market pricing to determine the ability to refinance the asset.  The Company also reviews economic trends, both macro as well as those directly affecting the property, and the supply and demand of competing projects in the sub-market in which the subject property is located. The Company also evaluates the borrower’s ability to manage and operate the properties.  The Company generally does not review loan to value metrics on a quarterly basis.
 
When a loan is impaired, the amount of provision for loan loss is calculated by comparing the carrying amount of the investment to the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate or, as a practical expedient, to the value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.  Interest on impaired loans is recognized when received in cash.
 
Income recognition is suspended for the loans at the earlier of the date at which payments become 90-days past due or when, in the opinion of the Company, a full recovery of income and principal becomes doubtful. Income is then recorded on a cash basis until an accrual is resumed when the loan becomes contractually current and performance is demonstrated to be resumed. A loan is written off when it is no longer realizable and/or legally discharged.
 
 
F-11

 
 
Loan performance is evaluated and loans are assigned an internal rating of “Performing Loans,” “Watch List Loans” or “Workout Loans.”  Performing Loans meet all present contractual obligations.  Watch List Loans are defined as performing or nonperforming loans for which the timing of cost recovery is under review.  Workout Loans are defined as loans for which there is a likelihood that the Company may not recover its cost basis.
 
(h) Troubled Debt Restructuring
 
Real estate debt investments modified in a troubled debt restructuring ("TDR") are modifications granting a concession to a borrower experiencing financial difficulties where a lender agrees to terms that are more favorable to the borrower than is otherwise available in the current market. Management judgment is necessary to determine whether a loan modification is considered a TDR. Troubled debt that is fully satisfied via foreclosure, repossession or other transfers of assets is included in the definition of TDR. Individual, or pools of, loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality that have been modified are not considered a TDR.

(i) Variable Interest Entities

The Company has evaluated all of its investments in order to determine if they qualify as Variable Interest Entities ("VIEs")  or as variable interests in VIEs.   A VIE is defined as an entity in which equity investors (i) do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest, and/or (ii) do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional financial support from other parties. A variable interest is an investment or other interest that will absorb portions of a VIE's expected losses or receive portions of the entity’s expected residual returns. A VIE is required to be consolidated by its primary beneficiary, which is defined as the party that (i) has the power to control the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) has the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

(j) Revenue Recognition

Interest income is accrued based on the outstanding principal amount of the securities or loans and their contractual terms. Premiums and discounts associated with the purchase of the securities or loans are amortized into interest income over the projected lives of the securities or loans using the interest method based on the estimated recovery value.

The Company recognizes rental revenue on real estate on a straight-line basis over the non-cancelable term of the lease. The excess of straight-line rents over base rents under the lease is included in rents receivable on the Company’s consolidated statement of financial condition and any excess of base rents over the straight-line amount is recorded as a decrease to rents receivable on the Company’s consolidated statement of financial condition.

Fees received relating to origination of loans are included in “Other Assets” on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and are amortized into “Interest Income” as an adjustment to loan yield over the life of the loan.

(k) Income Taxes

The Company has qualified and elected to be taxed as a REIT, and therefore it generally will not be subject to corporate federal or state income tax to the extent that the Company makes qualifying distributions to stockholders and provided the Company satisfies the REIT requirements, including certain asset, income, distribution and stock ownership tests.  If the Company fails to qualify as a REIT and does not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, the Company would be subject to federal, state and local income taxes and may be precluded from qualifying as a REIT for the subsequent four taxable years following the year in which the REIT qualification was lost.

The provisions of FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes (ASC 740), clarify the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in financial statements and prescribe a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. ASC 740 also requires that interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits be recognized in the financial statements. The Company has no unrecognized tax benefits that would affect its financial position.  Consequently, no accruals for penalties or interest were recorded during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
 
 
F-12

 
 
The Company files tax returns in several U.S. jurisdictions, including New York State and New York City.  The 2009 through 2011 tax years remain open to U.S. federal, state and local examinations.

(l) Net Income per Share

The Company calculates basic net income per share by dividing net income for the period by the weighted-average shares of its common stock outstanding for that period.  Diluted net income per share takes into account the effect of dilutive instruments, such as stock options, but uses the average share price for the period in determining the number of incremental shares that are to be added to the weighted average number of shares outstanding.  The Company had no potentially dilutive securities outstanding during the periods presented.

(m) Use of Estimates

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as well as loan loss provisions.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
(n) Derivatives
 
The Company uses derivative instruments primarily to manage interest rate risk exposure and such derivatives are not considered speculative.  The Company has one interest rate swap outstanding which has not been designated as a hedging instrument for accounting purposes.  Changes in the fair value of the interest rate swap are recorded in the consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.
 
(o) Reclassifications
 
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.  Origination fees previously reported in miscellaneous fees have been reclassified into interest income in accordance with ASC 310-20, Receivables, Non-Refundable Fees and Other Costs.  Servicing fees for 2011 and 2010 have been reclassified out of interest income and are presented separately but remain a part of net interest income.

(p) Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Presentation

Comprehensive Income (Topic 220)

In June 2011, FASB released ASU 2011-05 Comprehensive Income: Presentation of Comprehensive Income, which attempts to improve the comparability, consistency, and transparency of financial reporting and increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income (“OCI”).  ASU 2011-05 requires that all non-owner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of net income and comprehensive income or two separate consecutive statements.  Either presentation requires the presentation on the face of the financial statements any reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from OCI to net income in the statements.  There is no change in what must be reported in OCI or when an item of OCI must be reclassified to net income.  This update is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011.  This update resulted in additional disclosure, but had no significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

On December 23, 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, Comprehensive Income: Deferral of Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income In ASU No. 2011-05, which defers those changes in ASU 2011-05 that relate to the presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated OCI.  This was done to allow the FASB time to re-deliberate the presentation on the face of the financial statements the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated OCI on the components of net income and OCI.  No other requirements under ASU 2011-05 are affected by ASU 2011-12.  During June 2012, the FASB tentatively decided not to require presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the face of the financial statements and to propose new disclosures instead.  The Company adopted ASU 2011-05 on January 1, 2012.
 
 
F-13

 
 
In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02 Comprehensive Income: Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (ASU 2013-02).  This update addresses the open disclosure issue in the deferral under ASU 2011-12.  ASU 2013-02 requires the provision of information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated OCI by component.  In addition, ASU 2013-02 requires presentation, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated OCI by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, a cross-reference must be provided to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts.  This update, which will increase disclosure for the Company as outlined above, is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012 with early adoption permitted.  The Company has not elected early adoption.

Assets

Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360)

In December 2011, the FASB released ASU 2011-10, Derecognition of in Substance Real Estate—a Scope Clarification.  The amendments in ASU 2011-20 provide that when a parent (reporting entity) ceases to have a controlling financial interest (as described in ASC Subtopic 810-10) in a subsidiary that is in substance real estate as a result of default on the subsidiary’s nonrecourse debt, the reporting entity should apply the guidance in Subtopic 360-20 to determine whether it should derecognize the in substance real estate. Generally, a reporting entity would not satisfy the requirements to derecognize the in substance real estate before the legal transfer of the real estate to the lender and the extinguishment of the related nonrecourse indebtedness. That is, even if the reporting entity ceases to have a controlling financial interest under Subtopic 810-10, the reporting entity would continue to include the real estate, debt, and the results of the subsidiary’s operations in its consolidated financial statements until legal title to the real estate is transferred to legally satisfy the debt.  ASU 2011-10 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning on or after June 15, 2012.  The adoption of ASU 2011-10 is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Broad Transactions

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820)

In May 2011, the FASB released ASU 2011-04 Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS, further converging US GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) by providing common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements.  FASB made changes to the fair value measurement guidance, which include: 1) Prohibiting the inclusion of block discounts in all fair value measurements, not just Level 1 measurements 2) Adding guidance on when to include other premiums and discounts in fair value measurements  3) Clarifying that the concepts of “highest and best use” and “valuation premise” apply only when measuring the fair value of non-financial assets, and 4) Adding an exception that allows the measurement of a group of financial assets and liabilities with offsetting risks (e.g., a portfolio of derivative contracts) at their net exposure to a particular risk if certain criteria are met.  ASU 2011-04 also requires additional disclosure related to items categorized as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy, including a description of the processes for valuing these assets, providing quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used to measure fair value, and in certain cases, explain the sensitivity of the fair value measurements to changes in unobservable inputs.  This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011.  This update resulted in additional disclosures in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860)

In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-03, Transfers and Servicing: Reconsideration of Effective Control for Repurchase Agreements.  In a typical repurchase agreement transaction, an entity transfers financial assets to the counterparty in exchange for cash with an agreement for the counterparty to return the same or equivalent financial assets for a fixed price in the future.  Previous to this update, one of the factors in determining whether sale treatment could be used was whether the transferor maintained effective control of the transferred assets and in order to do so, the transferor must have the ability to repurchase such assets. In connection with the issuance of ASU 2011-03, the FASB concluded that the assessment of effective control should focus on a transferor’s contractual rights and obligations with respect to transferred financial assets, rather than whether the transferor has the practical ability to perform in accordance with those rights or obligations.  ASU 2011-03 removes the transferor’s ability criterion from consideration of effective control.  This update is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after December 15, 2011 and did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
 
 
F-14

 
 
Financial Services – Investment Companies (Topic 946)
 
In October 2011, the FASB issued a proposed ASU 2011-20, Financial Services-Investment Companies: Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements, which would amend the criteria in Topic 946 for determining whether an entity qualifies as an investment company for reporting purposes.  As proposed, this ASU would affect the measurement, presentation and disclosure requirements for Investment Companies, as defined, amend the investment company definition in ASC 946, and remove the current exemption for Real Estate Investment Trusts from this topic.  If promulgated in its current form, this proposal may result in a material modification to the presentation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements.  

On December 12, 2012, the FASB agreed that the accounting for real estate investments should be considered in a second phase of the Investment Companies project and that all REITs should be exempted from conclusions reached in phase I of the project.  The Board has not yet agreed on the scope of phase II of the project.  The Company is monitoring developments related to this proposal and is evaluating the effects it would have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

3. Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company had $123.5 million and $202.8 million of cash held at independent national banking institutions at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and earned $18 thousand and $9 thousand in interest income on the Company’s cash balances for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

4.  Commercial Real Estate Loans Held for Investment

The following table represents the Company's commercial mortgage loans classified as held for investment at December 31, 2012 and 2011, which are carried at their principal balance outstanding, net of any related premium or discount, less an allowance for loan losses:
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
               
Percentage
               
Percentage
 
   
Outstanding
   
Carrying
   
of Loan
   
Outstanding
   
Carrying
   
of Loan
 
   
Principal
   
Value
   
Portfolio(1)
   
Principal
   
Value
   
Portfolio(1)
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
First mortgages
  $ 100,995     $ 100,343       13.7 %   $ 439,795     $ 374,348       52.5 %
Subordinate notes
    41,410       38,954       5.6 %     79,279       71,517       9.5 %
Mezzanine loans
    594,820       590,525       80.7 %     317,915       306,936       38.0 %
Total
  $ 737,225     $ 729,822       100.0 %   $ 836,989     $ 752,801       100.0 %
                                                 
(1) Based on outstanding principal.
                                         
 
 
F-15

 
 
The following table represents a summary of the changes in the carrying value of the Company’s commercial mortgage loans held for investment for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively:
 
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
First
   
Subordinate
   
Mezzanine
   
First
   
Subordinated
   
Mezzanine
 
   
Mortgages
   
Notes
   
Loans
   
Total
   
Mortgages
   
Notes
   
Loans
   
Total
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Beginning principal balance, net of allowance for loan losses
  $ 439,712     $ 79,208     $ 317,697     $ 836,617     $ 38,152     $ 42,007     $ 95,109     $ 175,268  
Purchases, principal balance
    46,502       8,501       347,280       402,283       609,281       65,738       394,061       1,069,080  
Remaining discount
    (650 )     (2,456 )     (4,294 )     (7,400 )     (65,365 )     (7,691 )     (10,760 )     (83,816 )
Principal payments
    (264,307 )     (15,198 )     (59,376 )     (338,881 )     (190,078 )     (28,509 )     (171,397 )     (389,984 )
Principal write-off
    (39,788 )     (6,405 )     (11,000 )     (57,193 )     (17,602 )     -       -       (17,602 )
Sales
    (50,000 )     -       -       (50,000 )     -       -       -       -  
Transfers to real estate held for sale
    (31,205 )     (24,768 )     -       (55,973 )     -       -       -       -  
      100,264       38,882       590,307       729,453       374,388       71,545       307,013       752,946  
Recovery (allowance) for loan losses
    79       72       218       369       (40 )     (28 )     (77 )     (145 )
Commercial mortgage loans held for investment
  $ 100,343     $ 38,954     $ 590,525     $ 729,822     $ 374,348     $ 71,517     $ 306,936     $ 752,801  

At December 31, 2012 the Company had no loans accounted for pursuant to ASC Subtopic 310-30.  At December 31, 2011 the principal balance of loans recorded under Subtopic ASC 310-30 was $315.6 million.

The following table presents the accretable yield, or the amount of discount estimated to be realized over the life of the loans, and the carrying value, related to the Company’s commercial real estate loan portfolio for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, which were accounted for pursuant to ASC Subtopic 310-30:

   
Accretable Yield
 
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
Accretable
Yield
   
Carrying Value
of the Loans
   
Accretable
Yield
   
Carrying Value
of the Loans
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Beginning balance
  $ 13,259     $ 257,065     $ -     $ -  
Additions
    -       -       50,581       296,949  
Accretion
    (9,200 )     9,200       (34,425 )     34,425  
Collections
    -       (212,400 )     -       (74,309 )
Disposition/transfers
    (1,126 )     (53,865 )     -       -  
Decrease in cashflow estimates
    (2,933 )     -       (11,265 )     -  
Reclassifications from nonaccretable
                               
difference
    -       -       8,368       -  
Ending balance
  $ -     $ -     $ 13,259     $ 257,065  
 
The following table summarizes the changes in the allowance for loan losses for the commercial mortgage loan portfolio for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
             
Balance, beginning of period
  $ 369     $ 224  
Reversal
    (369 )     -  
Provision for loan loss
    3,172       145  
Charge-offs
    (3,172 )     -  
                 
Balance, end of period
  $ -     $ 369  
 
 
F-16

 
 
The following tables present certain characteristics of the Company’s commercial real estate loan portfolio as of December 31, 2012 and 2011.

December 31, 2012
Geographic Distribution
   
Property
Top 5 States
Remaining Balance
% of Loans (1)
Count
(dollars in thousands)
Texas
$ 155,505
21.1%
170
New York
    90,453
12.3%
10
Illinois
    85,691
11.6%
128
Georgia
    64,325
8.7%
69
California
    63,461
8.6%
156
       
       
December 31, 2011
Geographic Distribution
   
Property
Top 5 States
Remaining Balance
% of Loans (1)
Count
(dollars in thousands)
New York
$ 215,337
25.7%
25
California
  195,401
23.3%
83
Texas
    79,717
9.5%
59
Georgia
    68,060
8.1%
6
Illinois
    54,512
6.5%
75
       
(1)   Percentages based on outstanding principal balance of the commercial real estate loan portfolio of $737.2 million
and $837.0 million at
December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
 
 
F-17

 
 
December 31, 2012
 
                   
Property Type
 
Number of Assets
 
Outstanding
Principal
 
% of Total
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Retail
    9     $ 264,652       36 %
Office
    13       252,100       34 %
Hotel
    5       107,000       14 %
Industrial
    4       100,500       14 %
Condominium
    1       12,973       2 %
Total
    32     $ 737,225       100 %
                         
December 31, 2011
 
                         
Property Type
 
Number of Assets
 
Outstanding
Principal
 
% of Total
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Hotel
    9     $ 343,606       41 %
Office
    14       174,621       21 %
Retail
    6       160,662       19 %
Multi-family
    2       132,000       16 %
Condominium
    2       26,100       3 %
Total
    33     $ 836,989       100 %
 
 
On a quarterly basis, the Company evaluates the adequacy of its allowance for loan losses.  Based on this analysis, the Company determined that no loan loss provision is necessary at December 31, 2012. At December 31, 2011 the Company had an allowance for loan losses of approximately $369 thousand.   At December 31, 2012, one loan with a carrying value of approximately $44.0 million was designated as a Watch List Loan and one loan with a carrying value of approximately $13.0 million was designated as a Workout Loan.
 
 
F-18

 
 
The following tables present the loan type and internal rating of the commercial real estate loans as of December 31, 2012 and 2011.

December 31, 2012
 
         
Percentage
   
Internal Ratings
 
   
Outstanding
   
of Loan
   
Performing
   
Watch List
   
Workout
 
Investment type
 
Principal
   
Portfolio
   
Loans
   
Loans
   
Loans
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
First mortgages
  $ 100,995       13.7 %   $ 88,022     $ -     $ 12,973  
Subordinate notes
    41,410       5.6 %     41,410       -       -  
Mezzanine loans
    594,820       80.7 %     550,820       44,000       -  
    $ 737,225       100.0 %   $ 680,252     $ 44,000     $ 12,973  
                                         
December 31, 2011
 
           
Percentage
   
Internal Ratings
 
   
Outstanding
   
of Loan
   
Performing
   
Watch List
   
Workout
 
Investment type
 
Principal
   
Portfolio
   
Loans
   
Loans
   
Loans
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
First mortgages
  $ 439,795       52.5 %   $ 398,815     $ -     $ 40,980  
Subordinate notes
    79,279       9.5 %     56,608       -       22,671  
Mezzanine loans
    317,915       38.0 %     317,915       -       -  
    $ 836,989       100.0 %   $ 773,338     $ -     $ 63,651  

5. Preferred Equity Held for Investment
 
The following table represents the Company's preferred equity held for investment at December 31, 2012 and 2011, which are carried at their principal balance outstanding less an allowance for loan losses:

   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Beginning balance
  $ -     $ 22,700  
Purchases, principal balance
    39,769       -  
Principal payments
    -       (22,718 )
Less: allowance for loan losses
    -       (20 )
Recovery
    -       38  
                 
Preferred equity held for investment   $ 39,769     $ -  
 
The following table summarizes the changes in the allowance for loan losses for the preferred equity for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011:
 
   
For the year ended
 
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
             
Balance, beginning of period
  $ -     $ 18  
Provision for loan loss
    -       20  
Recovery
    -       (38 )
Balance, end of period
  $ -     $ -  
 
 
F-19

 
 
The Company’s preferred equity portfolio had a principal balance outstanding of $39.8 million as of December 31, 2012, that consisted of one investment secured by the equity in ten multifamily properties located in the suburban Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area.  The Company had no preferred equity investments at December 31, 2011.
 
6. Investment in Real Estate, Net and Real Estate Held for Sale
 
At December 31, 2012 and 2011, investment in real estate, net consists of the following:
 
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
             
Land
  $ 7,490     $ 7,289  
Buildings and improvements
    27,305       25,961  
Subtotal
    34,795       33,250  
Less: Accumulated depreciation
    (1,140 )     (54 )
Investments in real estate, net
  $ 33,655     $ 33,196  
 
For the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, depreciation expense was $1.1 million, $54 thousand, and $0, respectively.  
 
Real Estate Acquisitions
 
For the year ended December 31, 2012 the Company finalized the purchase price allocation related to the following real estate acquisitions:
 
Date of acquisition
Type
Location
 
Purchase Price
 
       
(dollars in thousands)
 
November 2011
 Warehouse/distribution center
 Phoenix, AZ
  $ 33,250  
February 2012
 Warehouse
 Las Vegas, NV
    5,050  
        $ 38,300  
 
The Company has estimated the fair value of the assets and liabilities at the date of acquisition.  The allocation of the purchase price for the warehouse/distribution center in Phoenix was finalized during the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and resulted in the Company recording $5.2 million in intangible assets and $1.6 million of intangible liabilities.  In connection with the acquisition of the warehouse in Nevada during the quarter ended March 31, 2012, the Company recorded $318 thousand in intangible assets and $421 thousand of intangible liabilities.
 
The supplemental pro forma financial information set forth below is based upon the Company's historical consolidated statements of comprehensive income for years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011.  The pro forma amounts for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 give effect to the above transactions as of January 1, 2011.
 
    Business Combinations Actual     Pro Forma Consolidated  
   
For the years ended
   
For the years ended
 
    December 31, 2012    
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
    (dollars in thousands, except per share data)  
Revenues
  $ 3,153     $ 238     $ 89,941     $ 125,583  
                                 
Net income
  $ 464     $ 130     $ 71,055     $ 109,050  
                                 
Net income per average common
  share - basic/diluted
  $ 0.01     $ 0.00     $ 0.93     $ 1.74  
 
The supplemental pro forma financial information is presented for informational purposes only and may not be indicative of what actual results of operations would have been had the transactions occurred January 1, 2011, nor does it purport to represent the results of future operations.
 
 
F-20

 
 
For the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company acquired the following real estate in connection with a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (amounts in thousands):
 
Date
 
Type
 
Location
 
Carrying Value of
Loan at Time of REO
 
           
(dollars in thousands)
 
February 2012
 
Hotels
 
Various
  $ 55,973  
       
Real estate acquired via deed in lieu of foreclosure during the year ended December 31, 2012 is classified as real estate held for sale as of December 31, 2012, and is unencumbered by contractual debt obligations.  The working capital related to assets classified as held for sale is comprised of $4.2 million in current assets and $2.3 million in current liabilities at December 31, 2012.  The net working capital of $1.9 million is included in other assets in the consolidated statement of financial condition.  The Company had no assets classified as real estate held for sale at December 31, 2011.  
 
During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company recognized a $3.2 million provision for loan loss in connection with taking possession of the collateral underlying loans via a deed in lieu of foreclosure.
 
Discontinued Operations
 
The operations of real estate classified as held for sale on the consolidated statements of financial condition are reported as discontinued operations.  The following table summarizes the components of income from discontinued operations for the year ended December 31, 2012:
 
   
Year ended
December 31, 2012
 
Revenue:
   (dollars in thousands)  
Operating income
  $ 26,282  
         
Expenses:
       
Property operating expenses
    18,804  
         
Pretax earnings
    7,478  
         
Income tax
    726  
         
Total net income from discontinued operations
  $ 6,752  
 
 
The company had no properties classified as held for sale during the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010.  During the year ended December 31, 2012 the Company recognized approximately $2.6 million of impairment charge related to one asset classified as held for sale.  The impairment charge is measured as the excess of the carrying value of the individual asset over the sale price.  
 
The Company expects to dispose of the remaining assets classified as held for sale at December 31, 2012 prior to September 30, 2013.  
 
Disposition of Assets Held for Sale
 
During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company sold three hotels resulting in net proceeds of approximately $18.5 million.  The sales transactions resulted in a net pre-tax loss of approximately $800 thousand, consisting of approximately $1.8 million gain on sale from discontinued operations and $2.6 million of impairment charge, for the year ended December 31, 2012, which are recorded as components of discontinued operations.  
 
 
F-21

 
 
7.  Fair Value Measurements
 
The Company applies the fair value guidance in accordance with U.S. GAAP to account for its financial instruments.  The Company categorizes its financial instruments, based on the priority of the inputs to the valuation technique, into a three-level fair value hierarchy.  The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3).  If the inputs used to measure the financial instruments fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the categorization is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of the instrument. Financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition or disclosed in the related notes are categorized based on the inputs to the valuation techniques as follows:
 
Level 1 – inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets and liabilities in active markets.
 
Level 2 – inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.
 
Level 3 – inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to fair value.
 
The following describes the methodologies utilized by the Company to estimate the fair value of its financial instruments by instrument class.
 
Short-Term Instruments

The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accrued interest receivable, dividends payable, accounts payable and other liabilities, and accrued interest payable generally approximates estimated fair value due to the short term nature of these financial instruments.

Interest Rate Swap

Interest rate swaps are valued using internal pricing models that are corroborated using third party quotes.  The Company incorporates common market pricing methods, including a spread measurement to the Treasury curve, in its estimates of fair value.  Management ensures that current market conditions are reflected in its estimates of fair value. 

The Company's financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value on a recurring basis are as follows:

   
December 31, 2012
 
   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Liabilities:
                 
   Interest Rate Swap
$
               -
 
$
              89
 
$
               -
 


The Company had no financial assets or liabilities carried at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2011.

Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

GAAP requires disclosure of fair value information about financial instruments, whether or not recognized in the financial statements, for which it is practical to estimate the value. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based upon the estimation of discount rates to estimated future cash flows using market yields or other valuation methodologies. Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret market data and develop estimated fair value. Accordingly, fair values are not necessarily indicative of the amount the Company could realize on disposition of the financial instruments. The use of different market assumptions or estimation methodologies could have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

 
F-22

 
 
The carrying value of commercial real estate loans totaled $729.8 million and $752.8 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  These loans are held for investment and are recorded at amortized cost less an allowance for loan losses. The estimated fair value of these loans is $736.6 million and $772.1 million as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  Such estimates take into consideration expected changes in interest rates and changes in the underlying collateral cash flows.  The fair value of commercial real estate loans is based on the loan’s contractual cash flows and estimated changes in the yield curve.  The fair value also reflects consideration of changes in credit risk since the loan was originated or purchased.

Preferred equity investments totaled $39.8 million at December 31, 2012.  The Company held no preferred equity investments at December 31, 2011.  The preferred equity investment is recorded at amortized cost less an allowance for loan losses. The estimated fair value of this investment is $39.3 million as of December 31, 2012. The fair value of preferred equity is based on the underlying cash flows and estimated changes in the yield curve.  The fair value also reflects consideration of changes in credit risk since the time of initial investment.

The carrying value of participations sold is based on the loan’s amortized cost.  The fair value of participations sold is based on the fair value of the underlying related commercial loan.

The carrying value of mortgages payable totaled $19.2 million, and $16.6 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  The fair value of the Company’s mortgage loans at December 31, 2012 and 2011 totaled $19.4 million, and $16.6 million, respectively.  The fair value of mortgages payable is based on the related contractual cash flows and estimated changes in the yield curve from the time of origination.  The fair value of mortgages payable also reflects consideration of the value of the underlying collateral and changes in credit risk from the time the debt was originated.

The following table summarizes the estimated fair value for all financial assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

   
December 31, 2012
 
December 31, 2011
 
   
Carrying Value
Fair Value
 
Carrying Value
Fair Value
 
 
Level in Fair
(dollars in thousands)
 
Financial assets:
 
Value Hierarchy
for 2012
           
Cash and cash equivalents
1
$123,543
$123,543
 
$202,814
$202,814
 
Commercial real estate investments:
           
   Senior
3
100,343
99,999
 
374,348
379,877
 
   Subordinate
3
38,954
42,078
 
71,517
76,115
 
   Mezzanine
3
590,525
594,554
 
306,936
316,157
 
Preferred equity
3
39,769
39,256
 
                           -
                           -
 
               
Financial liabilities:
               
Mortgage payable
2
19,150
19,407
 
16,600
16,600
 
Participations sold
3
13,759
14,525
 
14,755
14,755
 
Interest rate swap liability
2
89
89
 
                           -
                           -
 

Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret market data and develop estimated fair value. The use of different market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair value assumptions.

Nonfinancial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

Real estate held for sale totaled $33.5 million at December 31, 2012 and is recorded at its estimated fair value less costs to sell (considered to be Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy).  The estimated fair value is based on the property's future discounted cash flows to be generated using discount rates ranging from 12% to 13.5% and terminal cap rates ranging from 10.0% to 10.5%, sales comparables, or the expected sales price based on an executed purchase and sale agreement. Estimates of fair value take into consideration U.S. macroeconomic factors, including real estate sector conditions, together with asset specific and other factors.
 
 
F-23

 
 
8.  Income Taxes

For the year ended December 31, 2012 the Company is qualified to be taxed as a REIT.  To maintain qualification as a REIT, the Company must distribute at least 90% of its annual REIT taxable income to its shareholders and meet certain other requirements including certain asset, income and stock ownership tests. It is generally the Company’s policy to distribute to its shareholders all of the Company’s taxable income.  It is assumed that the Company will retain its REIT status by complying with the REIT regulations and distribution requirements in the future. The state and city tax jurisdictions for which the Company is subject to tax filing obligations recognize the Company’s status as a REIT.  In December of 2011, the Company created a taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”) to hold those assets which represent non-qualified REIT assets.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company recorded estimated federal and state income tax expense related to earnings of its TRS in the amount of $726 thousand that is primarily attributable to income from discontinued operations of hotels acquired during 2012 via deed in lieu of foreclosure.  This amount is recorded as a component of net income from discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated statement of comprehensive income.  No income tax expense or benefit related to the TRS was recognized for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010.

The Company files tax returns in several U.S. jurisdictions, including New York State and New York City.  The 2009 through 2012 tax years remain open to U.S. federal, state and local tax examinations.

During February of 2012 the Company took possession of a portfolio of hotels in connection with a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure and recorded a deferred tax asset (“DTA”) of $900 thousand for the difference between the tax and GAAP basis of the related assets.  The Company recorded a valuation allowance against the entire DTA due to uncertainty regarding the Company’s ability to realize the DTA.  During the fourth quarter of 2012, based on updated available information, the Company determined that the remaining DTA, as reduced during the year for sales of hotels, was realizable and reversed the entire remaining valuation allowance of $600 thousand.  This resulted in the recognition of an income tax benefit of $600 thousand during the fourth quarter of 2012, which is recorded as a component of net income from discontinued operations in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

9.  Common Stock
 
During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company declared dividends to common shareholders totaling $90.4 million or $1.18 per share of which $24.5 million or $0.32 per share was paid to shareholders on January 24, 2013.  During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company declared dividends to common shareholders totaling $73.1 million or $1.13 per average share of which $26.8 million or $0.35 per share was paid to shareholders on January 26, 2012.  During the year ended December 31, 2010 the Company declared dividends to common shareholders totaling $10.5 million or $0.58 per average share of which $4.0 million or $0.22 per share was paid to shareholders on January 27, 2011. For the year ended December 31, 2012 the Company declared cash dividends of $1.18 per common share, all of which is expected to be characterized as ordinary income for federal tax purposes.
 

10.  Equity Incentive Plan

The Company has adopted an equity incentive plan to provide incentives to our independent directors, employees of FIDAC and its affiliates, including Annaly, and other service providers to stimulate their efforts toward our continued success, long-term growth and profitability and to attract, reward and retain personnel.  The equity incentive plan is administered by the compensation committee of the board of directors.  Unless terminated earlier, the equity incentive plan will terminate in 2019, but will continue to govern unexpired awards.  The equity incentive plan provides for grants of restricted common stock and other equity-based awards up to an aggregate amount, at the time of the award, of (i) 2.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock less (ii) 250,000 shares, subject to an aggregate ceiling of 25,000,000 shares available for issuance under the plan.

The Company issued approximately 10,000 shares, approximating $105 thousand, to the independent members of the Board of Directors during the year ended December 31, 2012.  The shares were granted and vested on May 24, 2012.
 
 
F-24

 
 
11.  Debt Obligations

The Company has two first mortgages outstanding with aggregate principal balances as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 as follows:

           
Outstanding Balance
 
Maturity
Type
 
Fixed Interest rate/spread over 1 Month LIBOR (1)
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
           
(dollars in thousands)
 
 2016
 Fixed
    3.50     $ 16,600     $ 16,600  
                           
 2017 (2)
 Variable
    2.24       2,550       -  
              $ 19,150     $ 16,600  
                           
(1) Applicable for variable rate loans
                 
(2) The Company has entered into an interest rate swap to hedge against increases in interest rates. Refer to footnote 15 for more detail.
 
 
The first mortgages are collateralized by two distribution/warehouse centers.  Interest expense relating to the mortgages payable, including amortized mortgage costs and the effect of the interest rate swap associated with one loan, for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 was $738 thousand, $14 thousand and $0, respectively.

12.  Management Agreement and Related Party Transactions

The Company has entered into a management agreement with FIDAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly, which provides for an initial term through December 31, 2013 with an automatic one year extension option and is subject to certain termination rights.  The Company pays FIDAC a quarterly management fee equal to 1.50% per annum of its stockholders’ equity which is equal to the sum of net proceeds from any issuance of the Company’s equity securities since inception, consolidated retained earnings (excluding non-cash equity compensation), less any amount the Company pays for repurchases of its common stock, unrealized gains, or losses or other items that do not affect realized income, as adjusted to exclude one-time events pursuant to changes in GAAP and certain non-cash charges of the Company.  Management fees accrued and subsequently paid to FIDAC were $13.8 million, $11.0 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Upon termination without cause, the Company will pay FIDAC a termination fee.  The Company may also terminate the management agreement with 30-days prior notice from the Company’s board of directors, without payment of a termination fee, for cause, which is defined as: (i) FIDAC, its agents or its assignees materially breaching any provision of the management agreement and such breach continuing for a period of thirty (30) days after written notice thereof specifying such breach and requesting that the same be remedied in such 30-day period (or forty-five (45) days after written notice of such breach if FIDAC takes steps to cure such breach within thirty (30) days of the written notice), (ii) FIDAC engaging in any act of fraud, misappropriation of funds, or embezzlement against the Company or any subsidiary, or (iii) an event of any gross negligence on the part of FIDAC in the performance of its duties under the management agreement, or upon a change of control, which is defined as (i) the sale, lease or transfer, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of FIDAC, taken as a whole, or Annaly, taken as a whole, to any person other than Annaly (in the case of FIDAC) or any of its respective affiliates; or (ii) the acquisition by any person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or any successor provision), including any group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act), other than Annaly or any of its respective affiliates, in a single transaction or in a related series of transactions, by way of merger, consolidation or other business combination or purchase of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of 50% or more of the total voting power of the voting capital interests of FIDAC or Annaly.  FIDAC may terminate the management agreement if the Company or any of its subsidiaries become required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the 1940 Act, with such termination deemed to occur immediately before such event, in which case the Company would not be required to pay a termination fee.  FIDAC may also decline to renew the management agreement by providing the Company with 180-days written notice, in which case the Company would not be required to pay a termination fee.
 
 
F-25

 
 
The Company is obligated to reimburse FIDAC for its costs incurred under the management agreement.  In addition, the management agreement permits FIDAC to require the Company to pay for its pro rata portion of rent, telephone, utilities, office furniture, equipment, machinery and other office, internal and overhead expenses of FIDAC incurred in the operation of the Company.  These expenses are allocated between FIDAC and the Company based on the ratio of the Company’s proportion of gross assets compared to all remaining gross assets managed by FIDAC as calculated at each quarter end.   FIDAC and the Company will modify this allocation methodology, subject to the Company’s board of directors’ approval if the allocation becomes inequitable (i.e., if the Company becomes very highly leveraged compared to FIDAC’s other funds and accounts).  FIDAC has waived its right to request reimbursement from the Company of these expenses until such time as it determines to rescind that waiver.

As of December 31, 2012 and 2011 Annaly owned approximately 12.4% of the Company’s outstanding shares.

The Company uses RCap Securities, Inc. (“RCap”), a SEC registered broker-dealer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly, to settle trades.  RCap receives customary, market-based fees and charges in return for such services.   For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 the Company paid RCap approximately $36 thousand and $22 thousand, respectively, for its services.  The Company did not pay RCap any fees during the year ended December 31, 2010.

13.  Commitments and Contingencies

From time to time, the Company may become involved in various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business.  In the opinion of management, the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and therefore no accrual is required under ASC 450, Contingencies, as of December 31, 2012 and 2011.

The Company agreed to pay the underwriters of our initial public offering $0.15 per share for each share sold in the initial public offering if during any full four calendar quarter period during the 24 full calendar quarters after the Company’s initial public offering certain performance hurdles were met.  During the year ended December 31, 2012 the Company paid the underwriters $2.0 million, representing the full amount due, as a result of meeting the required hurdle.

14.  Participations Sold
 
Participations sold represent interests in loans that we purchased and subsequently sold to third-parties that did not qualify as sales under ASC 860, Transfers. We present these participations sold as both assets and non-recourse liabilities because these arrangements do not qualify as sales under GAAP. Generally, participations sold are recorded as assets and liabilities in equal amounts on our consolidated statements of financial condition, and an equivalent amount of interest income and interest expense is recorded on our consolidated statements of comprehensive income. However, impaired loan assets, if any, must be reduced through the provision for loans losses while the associated non-recourse liability cannot be reduced until the participation has been contractually extinguished.  This can result in a difference between the loan participations sold asset and liability.  We have no economic exposure to these liabilities.

The following table summarizes our participations sold assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2012 and 2011:

   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Participations sold assets
           
Gross carrying value
  $ 13,759     $ 14,755  
Less: Provision for loan losses
    -       -  
Net book value of assets
  $ 13,759     $ 14,755  
                 
Liabilities
               
Net book value of liabilities
  $ 13,759     $ 14,755  
Net impact to shareholders' equity
  $ -     $ -  
 
 
F-26

 
 
15. Risk Management and Derivative Activities
 
Derivatives
 
        The Company uses derivative instruments primarily to manage interest rate risk exposure and such derivatives are not considered speculative. These derivative instruments are strictly in the form of interest rate swap agreements and the primary objective is to minimize interest rate risks associated with the Company's investment and financing activities. The counterparties of these arrangements are financial institutions with which the Company may also have other financial relationships. The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of non-performance by these counterparties and it monitors their financial condition; however, the Company currently does not anticipate that any of the counterparties will fail to meet their obligations.  

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had one interest rate swap outstanding which has not been designated as a hedging instrument for accounting purposes.  As of December 31, 2011, the Company had no interest rate swaps outstanding.
 
The following table presents the fair value of the Company's derivative instrument, its classification on the consolidated statements of financial condition and the consolidated statement of comprehensive income as of December 31, 2012, and the amount of income (expense) recognized during the year ended December 31, 2012:

 
   
Location in Consolidated
Statements of Financial
Condition
Location in Consolidated
Statements of
Comprehensive Income
Notional
Amount
Fair Value
Net Asset (Liability)
Interest Income
(Expense) on
Interest Rate
Swaps
Unrealized Gains
(Losses) on
Interest Rate
Swaps
   
(dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2012
 
Accounts payable and other liabilities
Interest Expense
 
      2,550
 
            (89)
 
                      (29)
 
                       (89)
 
The Company's counterparties held no cash margin as collateral against the Company's derivative contracts as of December 31, 2012.
 
Credit Risk Concentrations
 
Concentrations of credit risk arise when a number of borrowers, tenants, operators or issuers related to the Company's investments are engaged in similar business activities or located in the same geographic location to be similarly affected by changes in economic conditions. The Company monitors its portfolio to identify potential concentrations of credit risks. The Company has no one borrower, tenant or operator that generates 10% or more of its total revenue.
 
 
F-27

 
 
16. Stockholders' Equity
 
Earnings Per Share
 
Earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010 are computed as follows:

   
For the year ended
 
       
   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
Numerator:
                 
Net income
  $ 71,032     $ 108,396     $ 11,886  
Effect of dilutive securities:
    -       -       -  
Dilutive net income  available to stockholders
  $ 71,032     $ 108,396     $ 11,886  
                         
Denominator:
                       
Weighted Average shares available to common stockholders
    76,626,430       62,609,153       18,120,112  
Weighted Average Dilutive Shares
    -       -       -  
Net income  per average share attributable to common stockholders - Basic/Diluted
  $ 0.93     $ 1.73     $ 0.66  
 

17. Segment Reporting

ASC 280, Segment Reporting (ASC 280), establishes the manner in which public entities report information about operating segments in annual and interim financial reports issued to shareholders.  ASC 280 defines a segment as a component of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available and that is evaluated regularly to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company conducts its business through two segments: debt investments and real estate investments. For segment reporting purposes, the Company does not allocate interest income on short-term investments or general and administrative expenses.  The quarter ended December 31, 2011 is the first quarter the Company was required to report more than one segment due to the purchase of two warehouse and distribution facilities in Arizona.  The Company had no discontinued operations for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010.  Below are the operating results, by segment, for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
 
 
F-28

 
 
   
For the Year Ended December 31, 2012
 
                         
   
Corporate/
Unallocated
 
Debt
Investments
 
Real Estate
Investments
 
Consolidated Total
 
    (dollars in thousands)  
Net interest income:
                       
Interest income
  $ -     $ 88,561     $ -     $ 88,561  
Interest expense
    -       (351 )     (787 )     (1,138 )
Servicing fees
    -       (513 )     (17 )     (530 )
   Net interest income
    -       87,697       (804 )     86,893  
                                 
Other income:
                               
Realized loss on sale of loan
    -       (525 )     -       (525 )
Miscellaneous fee income
    -       348       -       348  
Rental income
    -       -       3,153       3,153  
   Total other income
    -       (177 )     3,153       2,976  
                                 
Other expenses:
                               
Provision loan losses, net
    -       2,803       -       2,803  
Management fees to affiliate
    13,775       -       -       13,775  
General and administrative expenses
    4,563       1,166       931       6,660  
Amortization Expense
    -       -       440       440  
Depreciation expense
    -       -       1,086       1,086  
   Total other expenses
    18,338       3,969       2,457       24,764  
                                 
Net (loss) income before income tax
    (18,338 )     83,551       (108 )     65,105  
                                 
Income tax
    1       -       38       39  
                                 
(Loss) income from continuing operations
    (18,339 )     83,551       (146 )     65,066  
                                 
Net income from discontinued operations
 (net of tax expense of  $726)
    -       -       6,752       6,752  
Gain on sale from discontinued operations
    -       -       1,774       1,774  
Impairment charges
    -       -       (2,560 )     (2,560 )
   Total income from discontinued operations
    -       -       5,966       5,966  
                                 
Net (loss) income
  $ (18,339 )   $ 83,551     $ 5,820     $ 71,032  
                                 
Total assets
  $ 736     $ 892,747     $ 80,516     $ 973,999  
                                 
   
For the Year Ended December 31, 2011
 
   
Corporate/
Unallocated
 
Debt
Investments
 
Real Estate
Investments
 
Consolidated Total
 
    (dollars in thousands)  
Net interest income:
                               
Interest income
  $ -     $ 106,483     $ -     $ 106,483  
Interest expense
    -       (2,370 )     -       (2,370 )
Servicing fees
    -       (572 )     -       (572 )
   Net interest income
    -       103,541       -       103,541  
                                 
Other income:
                               
Realized gains on sales of investments
    -       18,481       -       18,481  
Miscellaneous fee income
    -       486       -       486  
Rental income
    -       -       238       238  
   Total other income
    -       18,967       238       19,205  
                                 
Other expenses:
                               
Provision for loan losses, net
    -       127       -       127  
Management fees to affiliate
    -       10,958       -       10,958  
General and administrative expenses
    2,935       102       188       3,211  
Depreciation expense
    -       -       54       54  
   Total other expenses
    2,935       88       242       14,350  
                                 
Net (loss) income before income tax
    (2,935 )     111,335       (4 )     108,396  
Income tax
    -       -       -       -  
                                 
Net (loss) income
  $ (2,935 )   $ 111,335     $ (9 )   $ 108,396  
                                 
Total assets
  $ 831     $ 958,605     $ 33,435     $ 992,871  
 
 
F-29

 
 
18.  Summarized Quarterly Results

The following is a presentation of the quarterly results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

CREXUS INVESTMENT CORP.
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
 
(dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
 
                         
   
For the Quarter ended
 
   
March 31,
2012
   
June 30,
2012
   
September 30,
2012
   
December 31,
2012
 
   
(unaudited)
 
                         
Interest income (1)
  $ 23,392     $ 17,805     $ 26,967     $ 20,397  
Interest expense
    (360 )     (310 )     (187 )     (281 )
Net interest income
    22,917       17,381       26,631       19,964  
                                 
Total other income
    1,061       286       809       820  
                                 
Provision for loan losses
    2,803       -       -       -  
General and administrative expenses
    2,710       1,180       1,327       1,443  
Total other expenses
    9,382       4,982       5,149       5,251  
Net income from discontinued operations
(net of tax (benefit) expense of $295, $1,564,
$425 and ($1,558) respectively)
    1,522       (46 )     2,903       2,373  
Gain on sale from discontinued operations
    -       1,774       -       -  
Impairment charges
    -       -       (2,560 )     -  
Total income from discontinued operations
    1,522       1,728       343       2,373  
                                 
Net income
    16,117       14,381       22,628       17,906  
                                 
Net income per share-basic and diluted
  $ 0.21       0.19     $ 0.30     $ 0.23  
                                 
   
For the Quarter ended
 
   
March 31,
2011
   
June 30,
2011
   
September 30,
2011
   
December 31,
2011
 
   
(unaudited)
 
                                 
Interest income (1)
  $ 7,443     $ 13,055     $ 44,258     $ 41,727  
Interest expense
    (1,532 )     (742 )     (21 )     (75 )
   Net interest income
    5,849       12,159       44,024       41,509  
                                 
Realized gains on sales of investments
    -       13,925       -       4,556  
Total other income
    -       13,925       133       5,147  
                                 
Provision for loan losses
    127       -       -       -  
General and administrative expenses
    480       614       848       1,269  
Total other expenses
    1,287       3,959       4,221       4,883  
Net income
    4,561       22,125       39,936       41,774  
                                 
Net income per share-basic and diluted
  $ 0.23     $ 0.29     $ 0.52     $ 0.55  
                                 
(1) Origination fees have been reclassified to interest income from miscellaneous fees to conform with current period presentation.   
 
 
F-30

 
 
19. Subsequent Events
 
Agreement and Plan of Merger
 
 On January 30, 2013, the Company entered into  the Merger Agreement, among the Company, Annaly and CXS Acquisition Corporation (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly) (or Acquisition), pursuant to which, among other things, Acquisition will commence a tender offer (or the Offer) to purchase all of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (or the Shares), that Acquisition or Annaly do not own at a price per share of $13.00 in cash, plus a cash payment to reflect a pro-rated quarterly dividend for the quarter in which the Offer is consummated, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.  If at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors are tendered and purchased by Acquisition in the tender offer, and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain limited conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement (including, if required, receipt of approval by the Company’s stockholders), Acquisition will merge with and into the Company, with the Company surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Annaly.  In the Merger, each outstanding Share, other than Shares owned by Acquisition and Annaly, will be converted into the right to receive the same cash consideration paid in the Offer.
 
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, the Company may solicit, receive, evaluate and enter into negotiations with respect to alternative proposals from third parties for the Transaction Solicitation Period consisting of a period of 45 calendar days continuing through March 16, 2013.  The Company may continue discussions after the Transaction Solicitation Period with parties who made acquisition proposals during the Transaction Solicitation Period, or who made unsolicited acquisition proposals after the Transaction Solicitation Period, in either case that the Company determines, in good faith, would result in, or is reasonably likely to result in, a superior proposal. If the Company receives a superior proposal, Annaly and Acquisition have the right to increase their offer price one time to a price that is at least $0.10 per share greater than the value per share stockholders would receive as a result of the superior proposal and thereafter the Company may terminate after providing two business days’ notice.  If the Company terminates the Merger Agreement during the Transaction Solicitation Period or during the 10-day period following its expiration to enter into a superior proposal with a party who delivered a written acquisition proposal during the Transaction Solicitation Period, the Company will be required to pay to Annaly a termination fee of $15 million. If the Company terminates the Merger Agreement thereafter in connection with a superior proposal, the termination fee will be $25 million.  If the Merger Agreement is terminated in either circumstance, the Company will also be required to reimburse Annaly’s documented out-of-pocket expenses, up to $5 million. In all cases, the termination fee and expense reimbursement will be credited against the termination fee payable by the Company under the management agreement with FIDAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Annaly.
 
The Merger Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, Annaly and Acquisition.  The Company agreed to operate the Company’s business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice until the effective time of the Merger.  Annaly has separately agreed to not purchase any Shares in excess of the approximately 12.4% of the outstanding that it currently owns.
 
 Consummation of the Offer is subject to various conditions, including (1) the valid tender of the number of Shares that would represent at least 51% of the Shares not owned by Annaly or any of its subsidiaries, officers or directors, (2) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being unlawful under any applicable statute, rule or regulation, (3) the consummation of the Offer or the Merger not being enjoined by order of any court or other governmental authority, (4) the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement), (5) neither the Company’s board of directors nor its special committee of independent directors having withdrawn its recommendation of the Offer or Merger to the Company’s stockholders, and (6) the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions. Neither the Offer nor the Merger is subject to a financing condition.  Annaly plans to finance the transaction with cash on hand.
 
 If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold at least 90% of the outstanding Shares, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without the approval of the Merger by the Company’s stockholders. If, after completion of the Offer, Annaly and Acquisition hold less than 90% of the outstanding Shares, Acquisition will have the right to exercise the Percentage Increase Option which provides the Company an irrevocable option under the Merger Agreement to purchase from the Company that number of additional Shares that will increase the percentage of outstanding Shares owned by Annaly and its subsidiaries to one share more than 90% of the outstanding Shares (after giving effect to the issuance of shares pursuant to the Percentage Increase Option).  Upon exercise of the Percentage Increase Option, the Merger will be consummated in accordance with the short-form merger provisions under Maryland law without approval of the Merger by the Company’s stockholders.
 
 
F-31

 
 
The Company’s board of directors, upon the unanimous recommendation and approval of a special committee consisting of the Company’s three independent directors, adopted resolutions (i) determining and declaring advisable the Merger Agreement and the Offer, the Merger, the Percentage Increase Option and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (ii) determining that the terms of the Offer, the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are in the best interests of, and fair to, the Company’s stockholders other than Annaly and its affiliates, and (iii) recommending that the Company’s stockholders (other than Annaly and its affiliates) accept the Offer, tender their Shares into the Offer and, to the extent required by applicable law to consummate the Merger, vote their Shares in favor of approving the Merger.
 
Amendment to the Management Agreement
 
On January 30, 2013, the Company and FIDAC entered into an amendment to the management agreement pursuant to which, FIDAC has agreed to, among other things, in good faith facilitate and assist the Company in its efforts to actively seek and solicit acquisition proposals during the Transaction Solicitation Period and, following the conclusion of the Transaction Solicitation Period, in good faith facilitate and assist the Company’s discussions, negotiations, providing of information and any other permissible action with respect to possible acquisition proposals under the terms of the Merger Agreement. The amendment also shortens the notice provision for the Company’s termination of the management agreement from 180 days to 60 days’ notice at any time during the first six months following the acquisition by a third party of a majority of the Company’s stock or assets.
 
 
F-32

 
 
SCHEDULE II
 
VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
 
December 31, 2012
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
   
Description
 
Balance at
Beginning of
Year
 
Additions
Charged
Against
Operations
 
Uncollectable
Accounts
Written-off
 
Recovery of Uncollectable
Accounts
 
Balance at
End of
Year
 
                               
Year ended December 31, 2012
                             
   Allowance for doubtful accounts
  $ 369     $ 3,172     $ (3,172 )   $ (369 )   $ -  
                                         
Year ended December 31, 2011
                                       
   Allowance for doubtful accounts
  $ 224     $ 145     $ -     $ -     $ 369  
                                         
Year ended December 31, 2010
                                       
   Allowance for doubtful accounts
  $ 2     $ 222     $ -     $ -     $ 224  
 
 
F-33

 
 
CREXUS  INVESTMENT CORP.
Schedule III
Schedule of Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation
 
December 31, 2012
(dollars in thousands)
 
                                           Life on  which
                     
 
   
 
           
Depreciation in latest
         
 
   
Cost Capitalized
   
Gross Amount at Which
           
Statement of Income is
         
Initial Cost
   
Subsequent to Acquisition
   
Carried at Close of Period
   
 
 
 
  Computed
Description
 
Encumbrances
   
Land
   
Building and
Improvements
   
Land
   
Building and
Improvements
   
Land
   
Building and
Improvements
   
Total
   
Accumulated
Depreciation
 
Date
Acquired
 
Building
 
Site Improvements
                                                                 
Warehouse and distribution
   centers in Phoenix, AZ
  $ 4,486     $ 2,197     $ 6,790     $ -     $ -     $ 2,280     $ 4,643     $ 6,923     $ 354  
Nov. 2011
 
35 yrs.
 
2 yrs.
Warehouse and distribution
   centers in Phoenix, AZ
  $ 12,114     $ 5,092     $ 19,171     $ -     $ -     $ 4,571     $ 18,148     $ 22,719     $ 682  
Nov. 2011
 
35 yrs.
 
7 yrs.
Warehouse and distribution
   centers in Las Vegas NV
  $ 2,550     $ 638     $ 4,412     $ -     $ -     $ 638     $ 4,515     $ 5,153     $ 104  
Feb. 2012
 
40 yrs.
 
7 yrs.
 
   
Year Ended December 31
 
   
2012
   
2011
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Investment in real estate:
           
Balance at beginning of year
  $ 33,250     $ -  
Additions through cash expenditures
    5,050       33,250  
Purchase price allocation reclasses to intangible assets
    (3,505 )     -  
                 
Balance at end of year(1)
  $ 34,795     $ 33,250  
                 
Accumulated Depreciation:
               
Balance at beginning of year
  $ 54     $ -  
Current year depreciation expense
    1,086       54  
                 
Balance at end of year
  $ 1,140     $ 54  
(1) Federal income tax basis before depreciation is $38.3 million.
 
 
F-34

 
 
 
Schedule IV
 
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate
 
December 31, 2012
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
                                       
Property Type
           
Final
 
Payment
               
Carrying
 
Senior Debt
 
Location
 
Coupon
   
Maturity Date
 
terms
   
Prior liens
   
Face Amount
   
amount
 
Condo
 
NY
  - %(1)  
Dec-2013
  I/O           $ 12,973     $ 12,973  
Retail
 
CO
  5.58 %  
May-2017
 
30 year
            17,708       15,608  
Retail
 
IN
  4.75 %(2)  
Nov-2014
  I/O             23,814       23,814  
Industrial
 
TX
  6.40 %(3)  
Aug-2014
  I/O             34,000       35,448  
Retail
 
PA
  4.50 %(4)  
Aug-2015
  I/O             12,500       12,500  
                              $ 100,995     $ 100,343  
Total commercial loans
                                         
                                           
Subordinated Debt & Mezzanine 
                                         
Hotel
 
TX
  10.53 %  
Sep-2016
  I/O       200,573       44,000       44,000  
Retail
 
TX
  11.25 %  
Apr-2015
 
30 year
      74,353       27,106       27,106  
Office
 
NY
  10.00 %  
Jul-2021
  I/O       85,000       10,000       10,000  
Office
 
NY
  10.00 %  
Dec-2014
 
Fully Amortizing
      64,301       3,945       3,945  
Retail
 
Various
  7.71 %  
Dec-2015
 
Fixed paydown
      594,099       45,625       42,822  
Office
 
CA
  11.13 %  
Oct-2014
  I/O       99,756       20,000       20,000  
Retail
 
Various
  12.24 %  
Dec-2019
  I/O       488,140       40,000       40,000  
Office
 
GA
  12.00 %  
Oct-2013
  I/O       65,981       20,500       20,500  
Office
 
IL
  5.65 %  
Jan-2015
 
30 year
      184,824       16,410       15,715  
Office
 
IL
  6.66 %  
Jun-2015
  I/O       220,000       25,000       23,239  
Office
 
NY
  11.15 %  
Sep-2021
  I/O       160,000       18,000       18,000  
Retail
 
Various
  11.25 %  
Apr-2017
 
25 year
      406,627       87,273       87,273  
Hotel
 
CA
  12.25 %  
Apr-2017
  I/O       44,027       8,000       8,000  
Industrial
 
Various
  11.00 %  
Jun-2017
  I/O       100,000       50,000       50,000  
Office
 
MD
  11.20 %  
Aug-2017
  I/O       58,370       10,130       10,130  
Office
 
MD
  11.70 %  
Aug-2017
  I/O       57,558       9,942       9,942  
Office
 
GA
  11.00 %  
Jul-2015
  I/O       57,500       9,000       9,000  
Hotel
 
Various
  11.50 %  
Dec-2019
  I/O       2,520,000       25,000       25,000  
Office
 
NY
  10.00 %  
Oct-2018
  I/O       62,000       10,000       10,000  
Industrial
 
NY
  11.50 %  
Jan-2018
  I/O       21,500       4,000       4,000  
Office
 
Various
  11.50 %(5)  
Dec-2014
  I/O       641,915       92,673       92,673  
Retail
 
IN
  16.79 %(6)  
Nov-2014
  I/O       23,814       4,626       4,626  
Hotel
 
NY
  10.83 %(7)  
Sep-2013
  I/O       50,000       17,000       17,000  
Hotel
 
NY
  12.61 %(8)  
Sep-2013
  I/O       67,000       13,000       13,000  
Office
 
IL
  12.25 %(9)  
Aug-2015
  I/O       26,394       6,500       6,500  
Industrial
 
TX
  6.40 %(10)  
Aug-2014
  I/O       34,000       12,500       11,008  
Retail
 
PA
  11.75 %(11)  
Aug-2015
  I/O       12,500       6,000       6,000  
                        $ 6,420,232     $ 636,230     $ 629,479  
                        $ 6,420,232     $ 737,225     $ 729,822 (12) 
              Less loan loss provision               -  
                                        $ 729,822  
(1) Loan on non-accrual status as of December 31, 2012.
                                   
(2) LIBOR floater +4.00%, 0.75% floor
                                   
(3) LIBOR floater +5.40%, 1.00% floor
                                   
(4) LIBOR floater +3.50%, 1.00% floor
                                   
(5) LIBOR floater +10.75%, 0.75% floor
                                   
(6) LIBOR floater +14.97%, 1.82% floor
                                   
(7) LIBOR floater +9.83%, 1.00% floor
                                   
(8) LIBOR floater +11.61%, 1.00% floor
                                   
(9) LIBOR floater +11.75%, 0.50% floor
                                   
(10) LIBOR floater +5.40%, 1.00% floor
                                   
(11) LIBOR floater +10.75%, 1.00% floor
                                   
(12) Federal income tax basis.                                     
 
 
F-35

 
 
The following table summarizes the changes in the carrying amounts of mortgage loans during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

   
December 31, 2012
   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
   
First
   
Subordinated
   
Mezzanine
   
First
   
Subordinated
   
Mezzanine
   
First
   
Subordinated
   
Mezzanine
 
   
Mortgages
   
Notes
   
Loans
   
Total
   
Mortgages
   
Notes
   
Loans
   
Total
   
Mortgages
   
Notes
   
Loans
   
Total
 
   
(dollars in thousands)
 
Beginning principal balance,
   net of allowance for loan losses
  $ 439,712     $ 79,208     $ 317,697     $ 836,617     $ 38,152     $ 42,007     $ 95,109     $ 175,268     $ -     $ -     $ 39,998     $ 39,998  
Purchases, principal balance
    46,502       8,501       347,280       402,283       609,281       65,738       394,061       1,069,080       38,249       42,150       55,300       135,699  
Remaining discount
    (650 )     (2,456 )     (4,294 )     (7,400 )     (65,365 )     (7,691 )     (10,760 )     (83,816 )     (3,277 )     (4,231 )     (89 )     (7,597 )
Principal payments
    (264,307 )     (15,198 )     (59,376 )     (338,881 )     (190,078 )     (28,509 )     (171,397 )     (389,984 )     (58 )     (99 )     (50 )     (207 )
Principal write-off
    (39,788 )     (6,405 )     (11,000 )     (57,193 )     (17,602 )     -       -       (17,602 )     -       -       -       -  
Sales
    (50,000 )     -       -       (50,000 )     -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -  
Transfers to real estate held for sale
    (31,205 )     (24,768 )     -       (55,973 )     -       -       -       -       -       -       -       -  
      100,264       38,882       590,307       729,453       374,388       71,545       307,013       752,946       34,914       37,820       95,159       167,893  
Recovery (allowance) for loan losses
    79       72       218       369       (40 )     (28 )     (77 )     (145 )     (41 )     (44 )     (137 )     (222 )
Commercial mortgage loans held for investment
  $ 100,343     $ 38,954     $ 590,525     $ 729,822     $ 374,348     $ 71,517     $ 306,936     $ 752,801     $ 34,873     $ 37,776     $ 95,022     $ 167,671  
 
 
F-36

 
 
 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of New York, State of New York.
 
   
 
CREXUS INVESTMENT CORP.
   
Date: February 28, 2013
By: /s/ Kevin Riordan
 
Kevin Riordan
 
Chief Executive Officer, and President
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.

                    Signature
Title
Date
     /s/ Kevin Riordan     
Kevin Riordan
Chief Executive Officer, President and
Director (principal executive officer)
 
February 28, 2013
     /s/ Daniel Wickey     
Daniel Wickey
 
Chief Financial Officer (principal
financial and accounting officer)
 
February 28, 2013
 
     /s/ Ronald Kazel        
Ronald Kazel
Director
 
 
February 28, 2013
     /s/ Robert Eastep      
Robert Eastep
Director
 
 
February 28, 2013
     /s/ Nancy J. Kuenstner
Nancy J. Kuenstner
Director
 
 
February 28, 2013
 
 
     /s/ Patrick Corcoran    
Patrick Corcoran
Director
 
 
February 28, 2013
 
 
 
 
S-1